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I a.7n  Nij>su 


o 


felEW  Y©RfC 


LONDON 


Copyright , iqo2 
By  Mary  E.  E.  Smith 


Made  in  U.  S.  A. 


JUN  2 6 1924 


C.  & 

373**1 


c/  ^ 


ni 


BY  WAY  OF  INTRODUCTION 


f 


OBSERVATION  teaches  that  the  growth  and  happiness  of  a 
child  are  dependent  upon  the  quality  and  variety  of  his 
experiences.  This  is  true  not  only  for  those  experiences 
which  are  his  primarily,  but  also  for  those  which  become  his 
through  another,  transferred  in  person  or  through  the  medium  of 
picture,  song,  or  story.  To  satisfy  the  child’s  needs,  the  experi- 
ences entertained  must  vary  with  his  growth,  and  the  knowledge 
gained  through  them  must  be  such  as  naturally  relates  itself  to 
the  whole. 

An  acquaintance  with  the  life  and  environment  of  primitive 
man  seems  particularly  useful  to  the  child  during  his  early  school 
years.  Between  him  and  the  child  of  the  race  there  is  much  in 
common.  The  necessity  for  food,  shelter,  and  clothing  forces 
man  into  the  struggle  for  existence,  and  primarily  occupies  his 
thoughts  and  controls  his  actions.  The  child  recognizes  this 
necessity,  his  own  most  conscious  desires  arising  from  nature’s 
first  demands.  The  means  by  which  he,  himself,  is  fed,  housed, 
and  clothed  are  so  numerous  and  complex  as  to  require  a wide 
range  of  experience  to  secure  even  approximate  comprehension. 
In  primitive  life  the  processes  from  demand  to  supply  are  suffi- 
ciently few  and  simple  for  the  immature  mind  to  follow  and 
consider  somewhat  intelligently,  as  to  the  wisdom  or  unwisdom 
of  the  methods  used  in  production.  The  habit  of  seeing  things 
“from  beginning  to  end”  grows  into  the  power  to  see  “the  end 
from  the  beginning.”  The  ability  to  realize  the  whole  while  con- 
templating detail  is  one  which  distinguishes  the  artist  from  the 
artisan,  and  without  which  no  man  can  rightly  estimate  the  rela- 
tive value  of  his  labors. 

It  seemed  advisable  to  select  for  this  work  the  life  of  the 
more  primitive  Eskimo  rather  than  that  of  the  mongrel  type  pro- 
duced by  semi-civilization.  To  unify  and  to  avoid  the  confusion 
arising  from  contradictory  impressions,  the  stories  are  limited  in 
their  portrayal  of  life  and  nature  to  one  locality.  In  order  that 
the  children  may  become  familiar  with  the  people,  the  land,  and 
the  animals,  there  are  repeated  and  varied  presentations  of  the 
same  facts. 

Continual  effort  has  been  made  to  lead  the  child  beyond  the 

[3]  105008 


4 


BY  WAY  OF  INTRODUCTION 


point  of  curiosity  into  the  realm  of  understanding,  where  alone 
true  sympathy  is  born.  It  is  hardly  possible  that  he  will  fail  to 
compare  the  conditions  under  which  these  people  exist  with  his 
own  environment,  and  through  the  comparison  be  led  to  a con- 
sideration of  economic  values,  obtaining  thereby  an  increased 
respect  for  the  dignity  of  labor,  and  greater  appreciation  of  its 
hard-wrought  products. 

The  dependence  of  life  upon  life  for  physical  sustenance  has 
been  repeatedly  emphasized,  it  being  the  intention  to  keep  the 
child  face  to  face  with  fact,  but  not  to  brutalize.  It  is  no  easy  task 
to  demonstrate  the  law  of  necessity  and  cultivate  the  sentiment 
of  humanity  in  close  relation,  but  in  all  doubtful  cases  it  seemed 
legitimate  to  offer  the  preservation  of  the  higher  life  as  sufficient 
atonement  for  the  sacrifice  of  the  lower. 

The  stories  are  intended  to  enrich  the  child’s  store  of  knowl- 
edge, and  also  to  aid  him  in  becoming  an  intelligent  reader,  but 
these  are  only  secondary  considerations.  Information  and  ability 
should  serve  as  means  to  an  end,  that  end  being  the  perfecting  of 
character,  and  the  choice  of  both  material  and  expression  has  been 
determined  by  the  desire  to  select  only  that  which  should  best 
assist  this  work. 

During  the  preparation  of  the  stories  various  books  have  been 
consulted  and  drawn  upon  for  basic  material,  but  special  acknowl- 
edgment is  due  “ My  Arctic  Journal,”  by  Josephine  D.  Peary,  and 
“ The  Children  of  the  Cold,”  by  Frederick  Schwatka.  The  former 
volume  contains  a most  interesting  account  of  an  arctic  journey 
written  by  a woman  who  braved  the  rigors  of  a winter  in  North 
Greenland,  and  by  her  skillful  labors,  tact,  and  good  cheer,  was  of 
incalculable  assistance  not  only  to  her  husband,  Lieutenant  Peary, 
but  to  the  entire  party  of  men  who,  in  the  succeeding  spring, 
made  the  great  inland  ice  journey  of  1892. 

It  is  hoped  that  these  “ Eskimo  Stories  ” will  do  for  the  chil- 
dren what  the  books  of  Mrs.  Peary  and  Mr.  Schwatka  have  done 
for  the  grown  folks. 

The  author  acknowledges  her  appreciation  of  the  valuable 
suggestions  made  by  Miss  Olof  Krarer,  who  read  the  book  in 
manuscript,  and  whose  interesting  autobiography  appears  at  the 
close  of  the  volume  under  the  title,  “The  Story  of  a Real  Eskimo.” 

Mary  Estella  E.  Smith. 


Chicago,  June  /y,  IQ02. 


THE  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


By  Way  of  Introduction  . 
A List  of  Full-Page  Plates 
The  Northland  .... 
Summer  in  the  Northland 
The  Northland  People 
How  the  Eskimos  Live 
The  Reindeer  .... 
The  Eskimo’s  House 

The  Walrus 

Northern  Lights 

Wolves 

A Funny  Stove  .... 

Eskimo  Dogs 

Hungry  Dogs 

Runaway  Dogs  .... 
A Long  Journey  .... 
Rolling  Down  Hill 

The  Seals 

Icebergs  


PAGE 

3 
9 
1 1 

1 2 

H 

16 

17 

19 

20 
22 
24 
26 

2 7 
28 

30 

31 
33 
35 
37 


[5] 


6 THE  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The  White  Bear 39 

A Little  Northland  Girl 40 

Agoo hack’s  Baby  Brother 42 

The  M USK  Ox 46 

Agoonack’s  Mother  48 

Watching  for  a Seal  . 49 

Dressed  to  go  Hunting  51 

Inside  the  House 53 

How  Ikwa  made  a Stove 56 

The  Mother  Bear  and  her  Babies 57 

An  Eskimo  Game  59 

How  Kyo  and  Magda  helped  Build  the  House  . 61 

How  the  Eskimos  make  Use  of  the  Walrus  . . 66 

How  Skins  are  Cleaned 68 

Tack-Whang!  Tack-Whang! 71 

Feeding  the  Dogs 73 

How  Ikwa  Bores  a Hole  75 

The  Ice  Sleds 77 

Toolooah 78 

The  New  Baby . . 82 

Learning  to  Shoot 83 

How  Nipsu  Learns  to  Drive  Dogs 84 

Things  Ikwa  makes  from  Bone  and  Ivory  ...  86 

Shooting  at  Reindeer  Antlers 88 

Agoonack  and  her  Baby  Sledge 90 

The  Immoosi 95 


THE  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


7 


PAGE 

Playing  Musk  Ox 96 

The  Eskimo  and  the  Bear 99 

Ikwa’s  Bear  Story 100 

How  Agoonack  Made  Her  Doll 102 

Noo-gloo-took 106 

Floating  Out  on  the  Sea 108 

The  Lean,  Hungry  Bear 114 

Ikwa  Making  an  Iron  Knife 117 

No  Soap,  No  Towels,  No  Water  . . . . . .122 

The  Air  127 

June  128 

The  Tent 129 

The  Birds 131 

The  Snow  Bunting 133 

Bright  and  Dainty  Flowers 135 

The  Whale 136 

The  Family  Tupec 138 

Making  a Needle  of  Iron 140 

Mr.  Fox  143 

Eider  Ducks 146 

The  Second  Nest 148 

Ikwa’s  Rain  Coat 149 

Ikwa’s  Boat 150 

Gathering  Flowers  for  Food 153 

Hunting  Birds’  Eggs  ...........  156 

Playing  Together 157 


8 


THE  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

What  the  Eskimos  Get  from  the  Whale  . . . .158 

The  Dovekie 160 

Moving  Day 162 

The  Oomiaksoak  of  the  White  Man 164 

Winter  is  Coming  Again 171 

Gathering  Moss 172 

Good-By! 174 

A Pronouncing  Index  ....  176 

The  Story  of  a Real  Eskimo  . ....  177 

Suggestions  to  Teachers  ....  ....  184 


A LIST  OF  FULL-PAGE  PLATES 


PAGE 


“I  am  Nipsn  ” Frontispiece 

“ The  days  are  dark  as  night" io 

“ They  have  all  the  colors  of  the  rainboiv"  2j 

“See  how  the  dogs  jump  ” 2g 

“ Over  they  go , pcllmell  down  the  hill" j.f 

“ My  mother  carries  me  in  her  hood" 

“I'll  have  a sledge , and  dogs  to  drive, 

Across  the  fields  of  snow"  ^5 

“Kyo  and  Magda  are  Agoonack’s  older  brothers" 62 

“Then  the  father  came  in  for  supper" 6j 

“Mane  is  cleaning  a skin  ” 69 

The  game  of  “ shooting  the  antlers  ” 8g 

“ The  little  dog  goes  jump  ! jump  ! jump  ! 

The  little  sledge  goes  bump  ! bump  ! bump  ! ” pj 

“They  came  to  a place  where  hummocks  of  snow  rose  above  the  ice"  109 

Getting  a seal,  which  gives  the  fat,  to  make  the  oil 125 

It  may  take  Mane  years  to  make  this  needle 142 

“In  his  little  canoe,  far  out  on  the  wave, 

He  is  master  of  all,  his  heart  is  so  brave  ” 152 

“ She  stirs  and  stirs  with  that  big  bone  spoon  ” ......  755 

“The  Inn  aits  go  out  to  the  Kabloonahs'  ship"  165 

f 9 1 


The  days  are  dark  as  night. 


The  sea  is  covered  with  ice. 


[ IO] 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


THE  NORTHLAND 

There  is  a Northland  far  away. 

The  Northland  winters  are  long. 

They  are  very  cold. 

The  sun  does  not  shine  for  many,  many 
months. 

The  days  are  dark  as  night. 

The  land  lies  deep  beneath  the  heaps  of 
drifted  snow. 

Th  e sea  is  covered  with  ice. 

Wild  winds  whistle  and  moan  above  the  ice 
and  snow. 


I 2 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


There  are  no  trees  on  land. 
There  are  no  ships  at  sea. 


This  is  the  land  of  the  Frost  King  bold, 
Where  snowdrifts  are  hiding,  a thousand 
years  old, 

And  icebergs  are  growing  mountain  high, 
And  all  winter  long  there’s  no  sun  in  the  sky, 
And  its  cold,  cold,  cold. 


SUMMER  IN  THE  NORTHLAND 

The  Northland  summers  are  short. 

The  sun  shines  all  day  and  all  night. 

It  cannot  melt  the  snow  and  ice. 
Snowdrifts  he  among  the  rocks. 

Ice  cakes  float  upon  the  sea. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


13 


"The  sun  shines  all  day  and  all  night ” 

There  are  no  tall  trees  in  this  land,  but  small 
bushes  grow  here  and  there. 

Pretty  mosses  creep  over  the  earth  and  over 
the  rocks. 

Tiny  flowers  peep  out,  and  the  grass  is  soft 
and  green. 

Would  you  like  to  live  in  this  land? 

Some  people  do. 


H 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


THE  NORTHLAND  PEOPLE 


H ere  are  some 
Northland  peo- 
ple. 

They  call  them- 
selves Innuits. 

We  call  them  Eskimos. 

H ow  short  and  fat  they  look 
in  their  funny  clothes ! 
What  straight,  black  hair  they 
have ! 

H ow  dark  their  faces  are  ! 
See  how  small  and  black 

“ How  dark  their  faces  are!”  their  eyes  are! 

These  Eskimos  cannot  read  and  write. 

They  can  do  many  things  that  you  and  I 
cannot. 

They  make  all  the  clothes  they  wear. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


15 


They  get  the 
food  they 
eat. 

They  build  the 
homes  in  which 
they  live. 

They  make  t h 
tools  with  which 
they  work. 

They  m a k e 


weapons 


and  net 


‘ What  straight , 
black  hair 
they  have!” 


for  catching  animals. 

They  make  sledges  to  travel  on  land,  and 
boats  to  ride  on  the  sea. 

They  make  harnesses  and  whips. 

Almost  everything  an  Eskimo  uses  has  been 
made  with  his  own  hands. 


i6 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


It  takes  him  a long  time  to  do  this. 

He  is  a patient  worker. 

The  Eskimos  live  in  small  villages. 

o 

They  like  to  stay  near  the  sea,  but  must  often 
go  far  inland  to  hunt. 

In  summer  they  get  close  to  some  stream  so 
as  to  have  fresh  water  to  drink. 


HOW  THE  ESKIMOS  LIVE 

The  Eskimos  dress  in  the  skins  of  animals. 
They  live  in  huts  and  tents. 

In  winter  their  food  is  the  flesh  of  animals. 
They  sometimes  eat  oil  made  from  the  fat  of 
the  seal,  the  whale,  or  the  walrus. 

In  summer  they  catch  birds  and  fishes. 

The  women  and  children  hunt  birds’  eggs. 
They  get  berries  and  small  plants. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Food  is  plentiful  in  summer,  but  on  cold 
winter  days  the  animals  hide  themselves. 

Then  papa  Eskimo  hunts  and  hunts,  but 
finds  nothing,  and  everybody  goes  cold 
and  hungry. 


THE  REINDEER 


I am  the  swift-footed  reindeer. 

I live  in  the  land  of  ice  and  snow. 

Do  you  see  my  beautiful,  branching  horns? 
They  are  large  and  strong. 

Look  at  my  hairy  coat,  so  thick  and  warm. 


i8 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


I do  not  feel  the  cold. 

There  are  people  who  want  my  coat. 

They  will  not  get  it. 

I can  run  swiftly;  I go  bounding  over  the 
snow. 

The  dogs  cannot  hurt  me. 

If  they  come  too  near,  I use  my  horns. 

I can  kick,  too. 

What  do  you  think  I eat  i 
I scrape  away  the  snow. 

I get  down  to  the  earth. 

A little  plant  grows  there. 

Men  call  it  a lichen. 

It  is  good  food  for  a hungry  deer.  Llckens 
In  summer  there  are  small  bushes  with  little 
berries  growing  on  them. 

I like  berries. 

I like  buds,  and  twigs,  too. 

Sometimes  I eat  the  whole  bush. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


19 


Oh,  food  is  plentiful  in  summer,  but  in  the 
cold  winter  time  I am  often  hungry. 
Sometimes  I am  so  hungry  that  I eat  the 
snow. 

Think  of  that ! 


THE  ESKIMO’S  HOUSE 


^ Do  you  think  this  is  a playhouse  ? 
It  is  a real  house. 

Th  is  is  an  Eskimo’s  winter  home. 

It  is  made  of  snow. 

The  Eskimo  built  it  in  one  day. 

He  cut  big  blocks  out  of  the  snow. 


20 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


He  put  them  together. 

The  man  worked  carefully. 

At  last  the  house  was  finished. 

There  is  a hole  in  one  side. 

It  is  just  large  enough  to  crawl  through. 

That  is  the  door. 

What  a queer  little  house  with  its  queer  little 
door ! 

How  can  people  live  in  it? 

But  they  do. 


THE  WALRUS 

Did  you  ever  see  me  before? 

I am  the  walrus. 

I am  a large  animal. 

I am  as  large  as  an  elephant. 

I have  tusks  like  an  elephant. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


2 I 


"I have  tusks  like  an  elephant  ” 


I live  in  the  water. 

When  I want  to  breathe  I put  my  head 
out. 

I often  come  upon  the  shore. 

I like  to  lie  there  and  sun  myself. 

I like  to  he  upon  the  ice,  too. 

I am  very  strong. 

I can  make  holes  in  the  thickest  ice. 

I am  a swift  swimmer,  and  I get  my  food 
from  the  sea. 

The  fish  had  better  keep  away  from  me. 


22 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


There  are  some  queer  two-legged  creatures 
that  try  to  catch  me. 

They  live  on  land,  and  come  to  sea  in  boats. 

These  creatures  carry  sharp  spears,  and  when 
they  see  me  they  cry,  “Awick!  awick!” 

I think  that  means  “Walrus!  walrus!” 

Whenever  I see  those  spears,  or  hear  the  cry 
“Awick!  awick!”  I’m  away  in  a hurry. 

Ah  ! they  must  be  wise  creatures  to  catch 
me. 


NORTHERN  LIGHTS 

Do  you  see  those  lights  in  the  sky? 

The  N orthland  people  see  them  often. 
Sometimes  on  winter  nights  those  lights 
cover  all  the  sky. 

We  see  them  only  in  the  north. 

So  we  call  them  Northern  Lights. 


24 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


They  are  very  beautiful. 

Sometimes  they  have  all  the  colors  of  the 
rainbow. 

They  make  red,  and  blue,  and  green  colors 
on  the  snow. 

Those  lights  do  not  come  from  the  sun. 
They  do  not  come  from  the  moon. 

They  are  not  lights  from  a rainbow. 

No  one  knows  where  they  come  from. 


WOLVES 

We  are  wolves. 

There  are  many  of  us  in  the  Northland. 
We  have  long,  white  fur. 

We  have  sharp  teeth  and  swift  feet. 
People  must  look  out  for  us. 

We  do  not  find  enough  to  eat. 

We  get  very  hungry. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


25 


“ We  are  bold  and  fierce  ” 

Then  we  are  bold  and  fierce. 

We  are  not  afraid  of  men. 

If  we  scent  flesh  we  howl  loud  and  long. 

“Ow-w-w-w!  ow-w-w-w!” 

That  is  to  call  other  wolves. 

They  hear!  they  come  ! 

With  flying  feet  and  open  mouths,  they  leap 
over  the  snow. 

M en  and  animals,  look  out  for  yourselves 
now ! 

We  are  starving — we  are  fierce — we  must 
have  food ! food ! 


26 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


A FUNNY  STOVE 


The  Eskimo's  stove 


H ere  is  the  Eskimo’s  stove. 

It  is  only  a lamp. 

What  a funny  stove ! 

What  a funny  lamp  ! 

The  oil  is  walrus  fat. 

When  burning,  it  makes  a thick,  heavy  smoke. 
The  bowl  is  made  out  of  a flat  stone. 

The  wick  is  made  of  moss. 

This  little  stove  is  very  useful  to 
the  Eskimos. 

"The  bowl  is  made  out  of  a flat  stone"  COoks  their  food. 

It  warms  and  lights  their  dark  little  huts. 


It  d ries  their  wet  clothing. 

Over  it  they  melt  snow  to  get  drinking  water. 
Oh!  these  people  think  it  is  a fine  stove. 
They  would  not  know  how  to  live  without  it. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


27 


ESKIMO  DOGS 

We  are  Eskimo  dogs. 

We  are  strong  little  fellows. 

We  pull  heavy  loads. 

We  go  on  long  journeys. 

We  travel  many  miles  without  rest. 
We  go  many  hours  without  food. 
Sometimes  we  have  no  food  for  days. 
We  get  very  tired  and  hungry. 


“ We  get  very  tired  and  hungry  ” 


28 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Then  we  bark,  “Bow-wow,  bow-wow”;  we 
snarl,  “A-r-r-r,  a-r-r-r.” 

H ow  glad  we  are  when  the  journey  is  ended. 
H ow  good  it  seems  to  have  food  again,  and 
to  lie  down  for  a long  rest. 


HUNGRY  DOGS 

See  how  the  dogs  jump  and  bark  around 
that  pole! 

Do  you  know  why  they  do  so? 

Their  harness  hangs  from  the  top  of  it. 

The  dogs  are  very  hungry. 

The  harness  is  made  of  walrus  hide. 

They  like  to  eat  walrus  hide. 

Oh,  if  they  could  get  that  harness! 

But  the  boys  are  careful  they  shall  not. 

It  takes  much  work  to  make  a harness. 


' ' ....  II  ■ ' I , .. 


^QWAROy^ow>j  '°2_ 


“ See  how  the  dogs  jump 


30 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


RUNAWAY  DOGS 

These  boys  are  trying  to  catch  the  dogs. 
They  want  to  harness  them  to  the  long 
sledge. 

But  the  dogs  do  not  want  to  be  harnessed. 


Shall  they  let  the  dogs  have  it  to  eat?  Oh,  no! 
They  hang  it  at  the  very  top  of  the  long  pole. 
Even  the  biggest  dog  cannot  reach  it. 
“Bow-wow-wow-wow,  a-r-r-r,  a-r-r-r.” 


“ Trying  to  catch  the  dogs v 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


They  know  that  means  a journey. 

See  how  they  run  and  jump! 

The  big  dog  is  leader. 

The  boys  will  try  to  catch  him  first. 

When  that  is  done  there  is  no  more  trouble. 
The  other  dogs  know  that  if  their  leader  is 
brought  to  the  harness,  they  must  follow. 
But  now  they  are  all  on  the  run. 

They  do  not  want  to  be  caught. 

Bow-wow,  bow-wow ! 

What  work  these  dogs  are  making! 


A LONG  JOURNEY 

These  Eskimos  are  going  to  the  sea. 

It  is  far  away. 

They  will  ride  on  this  sledge,  and  these  dogs 
will  draw  them. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“ They  will  ride  on  this  sledge" 

They  call  the  clogs  their  mi  kies. 

They  call  the  sledge  their  kamutee. 

Their  mikies  are  all  harnessed. 

They  do  not  run  and  jump  now. 

They  stand  very  still  and  wait  for  the  mas- 
ter’s word. 

Now  the  men  get  on;  the  driver  speaks  to 
his  dogs,  and  they  are  off. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


33 


Heigh,  oh  ! 

Away  they  go, 

Men  on  the  sledge, 
Dogs  on  the  snow. 


ROLLING  DOWN  HILL 

What  do  you  think  these  boys  are  doing? 
They  are  having  a race  down  hill. 

Oh,  such  fun  ! 

They  double  themselves  into  a ball,  and 
begin  to  roll. 

Over  and  over  they  go,  pellmell  down  the 

hill. 

Their  hairy  coats  catch  the  snow,  and  they 
look  like  rolling  snowballs  until  they 
reach  the  bottom. 

Then  their  arms  and  legs  shoot  out,  and  they 
are  boys  again. 


“ Over  they  go,  pellmell  down  the  hill 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


35 


The  little  Eskimos  like  to  do  this,  even  when 
there  is  no  one  to  race  with. 

They  think  it  jolly  fun. 


THE  SEALS 


Do  you  know  what  we  are? 

We  are  seals. 

We  live  in  the  Northland. 

We  are  covered  with  soft  fur. 
See  what  queer  hands  we  have. 
They  are  called  flippers. 

These  flippers  help  us  to  swim. 


See  what  queer  hands  we  have 


36 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


We  live  in  the  water,  but  we  are  not  fish. 

A part  of  the  time  we  stay  on  the  shore,  or 
on  the  floating  ice. 

If  th  ere  is  clanger,  into  the  water  we  slip. 

Under  our  fur  is  a thick  covering  of  fat. 

That  is  why  we  keep  warm  in  the  coldest 
water. 

I am  a mother  seal. 

Before  the  baby  seals  come  I crawl  up 
through  a hole  in  the  ice. 

There  is  deep  snow  above  me. 

That  is  just  what  I want. 

I work  round  and  round  on  the  ice  under  the 
snow  until  I have  made  a snug  little  house. 

There  my  baby  seals  live  until  they  are  old 
enough  for  the  water. 

What  beautiful  little  creatures  they  are ! 

Their  fur  is  soft,  and  as  white  as  snow. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


37 


H ow  I watch  and  care  for  them  ! 


They  grow,  and  grow,  and  grow,  and  men 
never  know  they  are  there. 


ICEBERGS 

An  iceberg  is  a mountain  of  ice. 

There  are  many  icebergs  in  the  Northland. 
In  summer  they  float  upon  the  sea,  but 
winter  locks  them  in  the  ice. 


38 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Icebergs  are  beautiful  things. 

They  catch  the  tints  of  the  earth,  the  shy,  the 
sea,  and  the  clouds. 

Sometimes  they  are  silvery  white,  and  sparkle 
like  diamonds. 

Sometimes  they  blaze  with  all  the  colors  of 
the  rainbow. 

Sometimes  they  look  blue  and  cold,  as  they 
really  are. 

Icebergs  take  many  forms. 

One  seems  a marble  palace,  with  slen-  } ,, 
der  pillars  and  arched  doorways. 

One  is  a white  cottage,  with 
gabled  roof. 

Others  look  like  huge 
and  snowy  ships 
as  they  pass 

slowly  out  to  sea.  ‘ wMte  coitage" 

Oh,  what  wonderful  things  icebergs  are! 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


39 


THE  WHITE  BEAR 

I am  a white  bear. 

I live  in  the  Northland. 

I am  a big  fellow. 

My  fur  is  long  and  shaggy. 


"My  fur  is  long 
and  shaggy" 

I can  walk  on  the  ice  and  not  slip. 

If  I see  a fish,  I jump  into  the  water  and 
catch  it. 

I can  swim  and  dive. 

The  cold  water  does  not  hurt  me. 

Sometimes  I float  far  out  to  sea  on  a block 


40 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Sometimes  I climb  to  the  top  of  the  highest 
iceberg. 

Oh,  I am  a great  fellow!  but  I have  to  keep 
on  the  watch. 

Men  are  always  after  my  coat. 

Ha!  ha!  I am  wise. 

I am  strong. 

I am  fierce. 

Let  them  follow  me. 

I am  not  afraid  of  men. 


A LITTLE  NORTHLAND  GIRL 

Do  you  think  I am  a funny  girl? 

I am  a little  Eskimo  girl. 

My  name  is  Agoonack. 

I live  in  the  Northland. 

The  winters  here  are  very,  very  long. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


41 


"My  name  is  Agoonack'' 


They  are  cold  and  dark. 
The  ice  is  thick,  and  the 
snow  is  deep. 

I do  not  mind  the  cold. 

I wear  thick,  warm  clothing. 
It  is  made  out  of  the  skins 
of  animals. 


My  father  brought  home  the  skins. 

My  mother  cleaned  and  made  them  soft. 

Out  of  them  she  cut  and  made  clothes  for 


me. 

My  coat  and  trousers  are  deerskin. 

My  stockings  are  made  of  bird  skins,  and  I 
wear  the  soft  feathers  next  my  feet. 

Over  these  are  deerskin  leggings. 


42 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


On  my  feet  are  little  sealskin  boots. 

These  boots  are  called  kamfks. 

I wear  my  kamiks  when  I walk  in  the  snow. 
They  will  not  wet  through. 

My  hood  and  mittens  are  deerskin,  like  my 
coat. 

They  are  trimmed  all  around  with  fox  fur. 

I think  it  is  a pretty  suit  of  clothes. 

My  mother  made  it  all. 


AGOONACK’S  BABY  BROTHER 
H ow  do  you  do? 

I am  Nipsu,  Agoonack’s  baby  brother. 

I am  just  three  years  old. 

I have  never  worn  clothes,  except  a little 
shirt  and  cap. 

Most  of  the  time  I roll  around  the  hut 
naked. 


mother  carries  me  in  her  hood" 


44 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


I do  not  mind  the  cold. 

When  my  mother  takes  me  out  of  doors,  she 
carries  me  in  her  hood. 

If  I get  too  cold  there,  she  slips  me  under 
her  coat,  next  her  back. 

There  I cling  close  to  her  warm  body. 

When  I am  a little  older  my  mother  will 
make  me  some  clothes  like  papa’s. 

Won’t  I be  happy  when  I put  on  that  suit? 


A big  strong  boy  I’ll  be, 

And  hunting  I will  go. 

I’ll  have  a sledge,  and  dogs  to  drive 
Across  the  fields  of  snow. 

I’ll  hunt  upon  the  land, 

And  hunt  upon  the  sea. 

The  fierce  white  bear,  the  walrus,  too, 
Will  be  afraid  of  me. 


"I'll  have  a sledge , and  dogs  to  drive , 
Across  the  fields  of  snow  ” 


46 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“/  am  the  musk  ox” 

THE  MUSK  OX 

Do  you  know  me  ? 

I am  the  musk  ox. 

I am  not  as  tall  as  the  reindeer,  but  I am 
stronger. 

My  coat  is  thicker,  and  my  hair  is  longer. 
See  what  strong,  flat  horns  I have. 

I know  how  to  use  those  horns  very  well. 


■ 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


47 


The  dogs  dare  not  come  too  near  me. 

I have  a great  voice. 

I can  bellow  so  it  sounds  like  thunder. 

Sometimes  I shake  the  earth  with  my  bel- 
lowing. 

I do  not  live  alone. 

There  are  twenty  of  us,  and  we  go  in  a herd. 

When  men  see  us  they  cry,  “Ooming~m.uk! 
ooming-muk ! ” 

They  mean  “ Musk  oxen  ! musk  oxen  ! ” 

When  we  hear  that  cry  we  are  off,  I can  tell 
you. 

We  are  stronger  than  men,  but  they  carry 
sharp  arrows. 

Sometimes  those  arrows  pierce  our  coats. 

We  are  going  now  for  a long  run. 

We  will  run,  run,  run,  like  the  wind. 

Here  I go. 


48 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


AGOONACKS  MOTHER 

This  is  Agoonack’s  mother. 
Eler  name  is  Mane. 

Mane  sews  very  neatly. 
She  makes  all  the  clothes 
for  her  family. 

1 1 keeps  her  busy. 
Mane  is  teaching 


" Mane  sews  very  neutiy 


Agoonack  to  sew. 


Soon  the  little  girl  will  be  able  to  make  her 


own  clothes. 

H ow  glad  she  will  be  to  wear  clothes  made 


with  her  own  hands. 

How  glad  M ane  will  be  to  have  help  with 
her  sewing. 

H ere  are  some  of  the  things  they  will  make: 
a coat,  stockings,  trousers, 

mittens,  leggings,  kamiks. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


49 


He  is  watching  for  a seal 


WATCHING  FOR  A SEAL 

Do  you  see  this  Eskimo? 

He  is  waiting  at  a hole  in  the  ice. 

H e has  been  waiting  many  hours. 

H e is  watching  for  a seal. 

This  man  and  his  family  are  hungry. 

The  seal’s  flesh  will  make  food  for  them  all. 
Its  soft  fur  will  make  him  a good  new  coat. 


50 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  Eskimo’s  hut  is  cold  and  dark. 

The  seal’s  fat  will  make  oil  to  light  and  heat  it. 

The  bones  will  make  new  tools  with  which  to 
work,  and  spears  with  which  to  hunt. 

The  Eskimo’s  wife  can  make  from  the  bones 
a new  knife  with  which  to  cut  skins. 

She  can  make  a bone  needle  with  which  to 
sew  them. 

Th  ere  would  also  be  sinews  for  thread. 

All  these  things  the  Eskimo  will  have  if  he 
catches  a seal. 

That  is  why  he  sits  so  still  through  the  cold, 
dark  day. 

That  is  why  he  will  not  go  home  until  he 

gets  a seal. 

The  seals  do  not  know  all  this. 

If  they  did  they  would  keep  away  from  that 
hole. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


5i 


DRESSED  TO  GO  HUNTING 


H ere  is  Agoonack’s  father. 

H is  name  is  Ikwa. 

Ikwa  is  dressed  to  go  hunting. 

Look  at  his  thick,  warm  clothes. 

His  coat  is  made  of  sealskin. 

The  soft,  glossy  fur  makes 
a beautiful  coat. 

Ikwa  calls  this  coat  his 
netcheh. 

The  netcheh  has 

a hood  which  "Ikwa  is  dressed  to  go  hunting" 

Ikwa  pulls  over  his  head  when  out  of 
doors. 

Ikwa’s  trousers  are  bearskin,  and  reach  just 
below  the  knee. 

H is  stockings  are  made  of  the  rabbits’  fur. 


52 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Over  these  stockings  Ikwa  wears  long  seal- 
skin boots,  which  come  up  to  his  trousers. 

He  calls  these  boots  his  kamiks. 

Sealskin  does  not  wet  through  like  other 
skins,  so  Ikwa’s  feet  are  kept  warm  and 
dry  when  he  has  on  these  sealskin  kamiks. 

Under  his  coat  Ikwa  wears  a shirt  made  ol 
birdskins. 

He  calls  this  shirt  his  ahtee. 

Th  is  ahtee  is  lined  with  soft  feathers,  and  is 
worn  next  his  body. 

Last  of  all,  Ikwa  puts  on  sealskin  mittens. 

1 hen  he  is  dressed  for  a long  tramp  over  the 
snow,  or  for  a journey  by  sledge. 

Sometimes  he  must  stay  out  all  night. 

You  or  I would  freeze. 

Ikwa  does  not. 

He  has  on  his  thick,  warm  clothes. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


53 


An  Eskimo  hut 


INSIDE  THE  HOUSE 

This  hut  is  not  like  the  one  we  saw  before. 
Let  us  go  inside  and  see  how  it  is  made. 
We  must  crawl  through  this  tunnel. 

H ow  dark  it  is ! 

There  is  a hole  at  the  other  end. 

That  is  the  inside  door. 

It  is  closed  with  skins. 

We  can  push  them  aside  with  our  hands. 
H ere  we  are  inside  the  hut. 

What  a queer,  dark  place  it  is ! 

There  is  only  one  room. 


54 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


That  room  is  very  small. 

The  hut  has  no  window. 

The  walls  are  made  of  snow. 

The  floor  is  made  of  snow. 

The  family  eat  and  sleep  in  this  room. 

They  work  and  dress  here. 

The  little  children  play  and  cry  here. 

Sometimes  the  dogs  get  in. 

Sometimes  all  the  big  folks  talk,  all  the  little 
folks  cry,  and  all  the  dogs  bark  at  once. 

Then  the  hut  is  very  full  and  very  noisy. 

At  one  side  of  the  room  there  is  a bed. 

It  is  just  a flat  snow-bank  built  against  the 
wall. 

The  snow  is  packed  hard  and  covered  with 
thick  skins. 

There  are  foxskins,  and  wolfskins,  and  bear- 
skins. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


55 


There  are  the  skins  of  the  musk  ox  and  rein- 
deer. 

H ow  would  you  like  to  sleep  in  such  a bed 
as  that  ? 

The  little  Eskimo  children  think  it  is  fine. 

They  roll  about,  and  play  on  it  by  day. 

They  cuddle  down  to  sleep  in  the  warm  furs 
by  night. 


Of  what  do  you  dream,  little  Eskimo, 
Wrapped  in  skins  on  your  bed  of  snow? 

Is  it  of  bears,  and  wolves,  and  things; 

Of  animals  wild,  which  your  father  brings 
From  over  the  land  and  over  the  sea, 

That  clothed  and  fed  his  baby  may  be? 

Do  you  dream  of  these,  little  Eskimo, 
While  fast  asleep  on  your  bed  of  snow? 


56 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


HOW  IKWA  MADE  A STOVE 

Once  Ikwa  took  a fiat  stone. 

He  worked  upon  it  hard  and  long. 

He  ground  and  chipped  the  stone  with  a 
sharp  tool,  until  at  last  it  was  hollow. 

Ikwa  was  glad,  and  took  the  hollow  stone 
into  his  hut. 

He  poured  oil  into  it. 

Mane  brought  some  moss. 

She  put  the  moss  into  the  oil. 

Then  Ikwa  struck  two  stones  together. 

Th  is  made  sparks  of  fire,  which  lit  the  moss. 

It  blazed  up. 

Ikwa  and  Mane  were  happy,  for  now  they 
had  both  light  and  heat. 

They  could  see  to  do  their  work  during  the 
dark  winter  days. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


57 


They  could  warm  their  cold  hut,  and 
cook  their  food. 

When  they  came  in  out  of  the  snow, 
they  could  dry  their  wet  cloth- 
ing. 

They  call  the  little  dish,  filled 
with  burning  oil  and  moss, 
their  ikkimer. 

Oh,  the  ikkimer  is  of  much 
use  in  the  family. 

I lvWa  and  Mane  do  nOt  “ They  could  dry  their  wet  clot  Zrin  i. 

mind  the  labor  it  cost  them  to  make  it. 


THE  MOTHER  BEAR  AND  HER  BABIES 

Who  are  you? 

I am  a mother  bear. 

These  are  my  cubs. 


53 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  mother  bear  and  her  cubs 

We  are  hiding  in  this  cave  in  the  snow. 

It  is  a good  place  for  an  old  bear  and  her 
babies. 

It  is  warmer  here  than  it  is  outside. 

I have  a thick  fur  coat. 

I do  not  feel  the  cold. 

My  babies  run  about  and  play  on  the  icy  floor. 
Sometimes  they  cuddle  close  to  me. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


59 


They  get  good  warm  milk  to  drink. 

Oh,  how  it  makes  them  grow! 

Soon  they  will  need  other  food. 

Then  I will  go  out  and  get  it  for  them. 
When  they  are  old  enough  my  little  ones  will 
go  with  me,  and  get  food  for  themselves. 
Isn’t  this  a safe  place  for  us  all? 

We  think  we  are  well  hidden. 

Men  will  not  find  us  here. 


AN  ESKIMO  GAME 

Whack!  whack!  whack! 

Run!  run!  run! 

Whack!  whack!  run!  run! 

Oh,  such  a whacking  and  running  and  scur- 
rying over  the  ice. 


6o 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“ Running  and  scurrying  over  the  ice" 

Each  boy  has  a long  stick. 

The  stick  is  made  of  walrus  bone. 

The  ball  they  are  driving  about  is  made  of 
ivory  from  the  tusk  of  the  walrus. 

I think  the  boys  in  this  country  would  call 
the  game  shinny. 

Whack!  whack!  whack!  how  the  ball  is 
driven  about,  here  and  there  and  every- 
where 1 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Run ! run ! run ! how  the  boys  follow  it  back 
and  forth  across  the  ice ! 

Wh  at  fun  the  Kskimo  boys  have  in  this 
game ! 


HOW  KYO  AND  MAGDA  HELPED 
BUILD  THE  HOUSE 

Kyo  and  Magda  are  Agoonack’s  older 
brothers. 

They  are  old  enough  to  help  with  the  work. 

They  built  most  of  the  winter  home. 

Their  father  cut  out  the  big  blocks  of  snow. 

Then  he  went  away  to  do  other  work,  and 
the  boys  began  to  build  the  foundation  of 
the  house. 

At  first  they  worked  very  fast. 


Kyo  and  Magda  are  Agoonack' s older  brothers 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


63 


They  thought  they  were  doing  fine  work 
when  all  the  blocks  fell  down. 

So  they  had  to  begin  again. 

This  time  each  block  was  placed  slowly  and 
carefully. 

It  took  them  a long  time. 

At  last  all  the  blocks  were  laid. 

The  boys  had  built  a low,  round  wall. 

This  was  the  foundation  of  the  snow  house. 

Kyo  and  Magda  pushed  against  it  to  see  if 
it  were  strong. 

Not  a block  fell. 

Their  father  came. 

He  thumped  it  all  around,  and  found  it 
strong. 

The  boys  were  glad. 

They  ran  to  tell  Agoonack. 

Then  they  were  all  glad  together. 


64 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  family  call  this  hut  their  igloo. 

Kyo  and  Magda  made  a big  snowbank  inside. 

That  was  to  be  the  bed. 

They  packed  the  snow  hard. 

Little  Nipsu  pounded  it  with  his  father’s 
snow  stick. 

Agoonack  and  her  mother  brought  in  all  the 
skins,  and  spread  them  on  the  floor  and 
over  the  bed. 

They  hung  a big  bearskin  in  front  of  the 
door. 

The  boys  brought  in  the  big  stone  lamp. 

Their  mother  set  it  ablaze. 

Then  the  father  came  in  for  supper. 

His  clothes  were  wet  and  he  was  cold. 

They  all  sat  down  around  the  lamp  to  eat 
and  to  get  warm. 

Outside  the  wind  pushed  and  whistled. 


“ Then  the  father  came  in  for  supper  ” 


66 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  snow  blew  about  the  igloo. 

Jack  Frost  danced  and  snapped  his  icy 
fingers. 

Did  they,  who  were  inside,  care  ? 

No,  for  they  had  a new  igloo,  which  was 
strong  and  warm. 

It  would  last  them  all  winter. 


HOW  THE  ESKIMOS  MAKE  USE  OF 
THE  WALRUS 

The  walrus  has  a tough,  black  hide. 

It  is  about  an  inch  thick. 

Under  this  hide  is  a layer  of  fat  a foot  thick. 
The  cold  cannot  get  through  this  fat. 

That  is  why  the  walrus  keeps  warm  in  the 


An  Eskimo  knife  for  cutting  walrus  hide 


ESKIMO  STORIES  67 


“ Long  sledges  are  made  of  walrus  bones" 

The  Eskimos  use  walrus  hide  for  leather. 
They  make  harnesses  of  it. 

They  cut  it  into  pieces  and  feed  it  to  their 
dogs. 

Sometimes  they  eat  it  themselves. 

They  use  the  flesh  of  the  walrus  for  food. 
From  the  fat  they  make  oil. 

The  bones  are  used  in  making  many  things. 
Some  of  them  are  used  for  tent  poles. 
Others  are  used 
for  the  ribs  of 

boats.  Arrow  and  spearhead 


68 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


CE 


Many  of  the  long 
sledges  are 
made  of  wal- 
rus bones. 

From  the  tusks  of  the  walrus  the  Eskimos 
make  knives,  arrows,  and  spearheads, 
needles  and  needle- 
cases,  toys,  and 

many  Other  things.  A toy  made  froirTw  alrus  tusks 

The  tusks  are  harder  than  other  bones. 

They  are  ivory. 


HOW  SKINS  ARE  CLEANED 

Mane  is  hard  at  work. 

She  is  cleaning  a skin. 

She  is  scraping  it  with  a sharp,  flat  stone. 


“ Mane  is  cleaning  a skin  ” 


70 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


It  is  not  easy  work,  but  Mane  knows  how  to 
do  it  well. 

After  the  skin  is  scraped  Mane  will  chew  it 
to  take  out  the  grease. 

Then  she  will  stretch  it,  and  let  it  dry  in  the 
warm  sun. 

When  stretched,  the  skin  is  held  in  place  by 
pegs  driven  into  the  ground. 

The  next  day  she  will  scrape  it  again  to 
make  it  soft. 

When  all  this  has  been  done  the  skin  is  ready 
for  use. 

Mane  will  make  from  it  a coat,  mittens,  and 
perhaps  some  big  warm  shoes  for  Ikwa. 

What  unpleasant  work  cleaning  skins  must 
be ! 

Are  you  not  glad  your  mother  does  not  have 
to  do  this  kind  of  work? 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


7i 


“ These  boys  are  playing  a game  ” 


TACK-WHANG!  TACK-WHANG! 

T ack-whang ! tack-whang ! tack-whang ! 
See  the  arrows  fly! 

Tack-whang!  tack-whang!  tack-whang! 
What  is  it  all  about? 

These  boys  are  playing  a game. 


72 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Do  you  see  how  they  all  shoot  straight  up- 
ward ? 

They  are  trying  to  see  how  many  arrows  they 
can  send  into  the  air  before  their  first  shot 
falls  to  the  earth. 

Thud!  thud!  thud!  hear  the  arrows  strike! 

Each  boy  knows  which  belong  to  him. 

When  his  first  arrow  touches  the  ground,  he 
must  stop  shooting. 

When  all  the  arrows  have  fallen,  those  belong- 
ing to  each  boy  are  counted  to  see  who 
has  the  greatest  number. 

Then  the  game  goes  on. 

Sometimes  the  boys  count  only  the  arrows 
which  stand  upright  in  the  snow. 

Sometimes  only  those  are  counted  that  strike 
the  earth  within  a circle  which  is  drawn 
upon  the  ground  before  the  shooting  begins. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


73 


The  boys  have  great  fun  with  this  game. 
They  grow  very  skilled  in  the  use  of  their 
bows  and  arrows. 

Tack-whang!  tack-whang!  tack-whang! 

They  are  shooting  again,  and  each  boy  is 
thinking: 

Arrows,  arrows,  arrows, 

Fly  up  into  the  air, 

And  don’t  you  fall, 

You  must  not  fall, 

Till  all  of  you  are  there! 


FEEDING  THE  DOGS 

The  dogs  are  almost  starved. 

They  have  had  no  food  for  three  days. 
The  boys  are  feeding  them  now. 


74 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


They  feed  the  dogs,  one  at  a time,  inside 
the  snow  wall  before  the  door  of  the  hut. 

Kyo  h as  a piece  of  walrus  meat,  and  chops 
off  strips,  which  Magda  throws  to  each 
dog  as  he  is  let  in. 

All  the  doo;s  are  wild  with  hunger. 

If  they  were  fed  together  there  would  be  a 
terrible  time. 

Some  would  fight  each  other,  while  the  rest 
would  eat  all  the  meat. 

So  they  are  fed,  one  by  one,  within  this  wall. 

Ikwa  stands  outside  with  the  long  whip,  and 
makes  each  dog  await  his  turn. 

Oh,  dear,  what  a snarling  and  snapping 
there  is ! 

They  act  like  wolves;  just  as  if  they  would 
eat  each  other. 

Poor  dogs!  just  think  how  hungry  they  are! 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


75 


HOW  IKWA  BORES  A HOLE 


Do  you  know  what  Ikwa  is  doing? 

He  is  boring  a hole  in  a piece  of  ivory. 

That  is  a drill  he  holds  in  his  mouth. 

The  drdl  is  held  by  a wooden  mouthpiece. 

Ikwa  holds  the  mouthpiece  firmly  between 
his  teeth. 

You  wonder  what  he 
is  doing  with  that 
bow. 

I will  tell  you. 

The  bowstring  is 
twisted  around  the 
drill. 

When  Ikwa  pulls  the 


bow,  the  string  turns 
the  drill. 


‘ Ikwa  is  boring  a 
in  a piece  of  ivory  ' 


76 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Sa  he  keeps  pulling  his  bow,  first  to  the 
right,  then  to  the  left. 

The  drill  keeps  turning  and  turning;  boring 
and  boring  a little  round  hole  in  the  ivory. 

It  is  slow,  hard  work. 

Ikwa  has  bored  many  holes. 

He  used  to  turn  the  drill  with  his  fingers. 

That  was  very  slow  work. 

It  made  his  fingers  ache. 

So  Ikwa  tried  to  find  a better  way,  and  found 
it  in  the  way  we  have  just  seen. 

Did  you  ever  visit  a factory? 

While  there  did  you  see  the  belts  that  turn 
the  wheels? 

Ikwa  never  visited  a factory. 

H e never  saw  a belt  turning  a wheel. 

But  he  makes  a little  bowstring  turn  a drill, 
just  as  big  belts  turn  factory  wheels. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


77 


THE  ICE  SLEDS 

Kyo  and  Magda  have  each  a sled  for 
coasting. 

The  sleds  are  made  out  of  big  blocks  of  ice. 

Each  boy  made  his  own  sled. 

It  was  hard  work  chopping  the  ice  so  as  to 
make  the  blocks  the  right  shape. 

Their  father  had  no  time,  so  the  boys  had  to 
do  it  for  themselves. 

After  the  blocks  were  cut  they  worked  a long 
time  to  make  them  smooth. 

In  some  places  they  chipped  off  bits. 

Into  cracks  and  hollows  they  poured  water, 
which  froze. 

At  last  each  block  was  as  smooth  as  the  boys 
could  make  it. 

Then  away  they  ran  to  try  the  new  sleds. 


78 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  hill  was  just  right  for  coasting. 

The  boys  have  great  fun  with  their  ice  sleds. 
It  was  hard  work,  but  they  are  glad  that  they 
made  them. 


TOOLOOAH 

I am  the  big  dog  Toolooah. 

When  my  master  goes  driving  I lead  the 
team. 

I think  master  made  me  leader  because  I 
hear  what  he  says,  and  obey  him. 

When  he  wishes  me  to  go  forward,  to  the 
right  or  to  the  left,  he  has  only  to  speak 
and  I go. 

I stop  at  the  word,  also. 

At  first  the  other  dogs  did  not  like  to  have 
me  lead  them. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


79 


r i ^ 


k 7-  j 

Toolooah , />£,?  leader 

They  did  a great  deal  of  growling  about  it. 

The  d og  at  my  heels  was  leader  before  I 
was. 

He  snapped  and  snarled,  and  the  first  time 
we  started  out  he  tried  to  lead. 

This  was  too  much. 

Our  master  knows  who  is  best  able  to  do  his 
work,  and  he  gave  me  the  place. 


8o 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


I could  not  pull  with  dogs  biting  my  legs  and 
each  trying  to  go  his  own  way. 

So  I turned  and  gave  the  dog  nearest  me  a 
whipping. 

He  has  not  forgotten  it. 

We  are  very  good  friends  now. 

He  and  the  other  dogs  understand  they  must 
not  trouble  me  when  I am  working  for 
master. 

They  understand  that  I am  leader,  and  we 
get  along  peacefully. 

We  go  on  long,  hard  journeys. 

We  draw  heavy  loads. 

Sometimes  we  travel  over  fields  of  snow  as 
smooth  as  glass. 

Then  we  go  like  the  wind. 

Sometimes  our  way  is  up  hill  and  down  hill, 
over  hummocks  of  snow  and  cakes  of  ice. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


81 


Then  we  go  carefully,  I tell  you. 

If  we  did  not,  what  would  become  of  master’s 
load. 

We  lead  a hard,  hungry  life. 

Many  times  we  are  so  hungry  we  could  eat 
one  another. 

Of  course  that  would  never  do. 

Many  times  we  are  so  tired  we  could  drop  in 
the  harness. 

Of  course  that  would  never  do. 

So,  whether  we’re  hungry  or  whether  we’re 
tired,  we  must  not  stop,  but  go  on  and  on 
to  the  journey’s  end. 

Master  has  never  given  us  a load  that  we  did 
not  bring  safely  home  for  him. 

Oh,  I am  glad  that  I am  strong,  and  can 
understand,  and  know  how  to  obey. 

It  is  a great  thing  to  be  able  to  lead. 


82 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


THE  NEW  BABY 


Oh  ! what  do  you  think? 

There  is  a new  baby  in  the  home. 

It  has  come  to  live  with  Nipsu  and  Agoonack. 
It  is  very  small  and  soft  and  round. 

Baby  hasn’t  any  clothes  on. 

Its  mamma  thinks  it  doesn’t 
need  any. 

But  she  has  a little  bag. 

It  is  filled  with  soft,  downy 
feathers. 

She  is  going  to  put  baby  into 
that. 


“ Little  baby 
Eskimo  " 


Olo,  Olo,  Olo, 

Little  baby  Eskimo, 

In  your  bag  upon  the  wall, 
Softly  sleep  and  do  not  fall. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


83 


"He  is  trying  to  send  an  arrow  through  the  7>ieat" 


LEARNING  TO  SHOOT 

Little  Nipsu  is  learning  to  shoot. 

He  has  a tiny  bow  and  some  arrows. 

Nipsu’s  mamma  has  put  a bit  of  cooked  meat 
into  a crack  in  the  wall. 

He  is  trying  to  send  an  arrow  through  the 


meat. 


84 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


It  is  such  a small  piece. 

The  arrows  strike  all  around  it  and  almost 
touch  it. 

But  that  will  not  do. 

One  must  go  through  the  meat. 

Then  Nipsu  may  have  it  to  eat. 

He  is  very  hungry,  and  wants  that  bit  of  meat 
more  than  anything  he  can  think  of. 

So  he  will  keep  on  shooting. 

Before  long  the  meat  will  be  his. 


HOW  NIPSU  LEARNS  TO 
DRIVE  DOGS 

Nipsu  has  eaten  his  meat. 

It  was  very  good,  but  it  did  not  last  long,  and 
now  he  is  doing  something  else. 
Toolooah’s  puppies  are  in  the  igloo. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


85 


Nipsu  has  a little  harness  for  them,  much 
like  the  one  his  father  has  for  the  big  dogs. 

Nipsu  puts  the  harness  on  the  puppies,  and 
drives  them  around  the  igloo,  and  some- 
times out  of  doors. 

At  first  they  did  not  like  to  be  tied  up. 

They  tugged  at  the  straps  and  tried  to  get 
away. 

Then  when  Nipsu  wanted  them  to  go  for- 
ward they  would  go  backward,  or  side- 
ways, or  turn  around,  or  sit  down. 

Now  they  have  learned  to  go  or  stand  still 
when  their  little  master  speaks. 

Sometimes  they  are  hitched  to  the  snow 
shovel,  and  draw  it  round  the  igloo. 

When  they  pass  the  door  they  do  not  try  to 
run  out  as  they  once  did. 

The  puppies  are  being  very  well  trained,  and 
Nipsu  is  learning  something  also. 


86 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“ The  dogs  are  hitched  to  the  small  sledge  ” 

When  they  are  both  a little  older,  Ikwa  will 
have  the  dogs  hitched  to  the  small  sledge. 

Then  he  will  take  Nipsu  out  on  the  snow 
fields  and  teach  him  how  to  drive  there. 

Ah ! won’t  that  be  a great  day  for  the  boy 
and  for  the  dogs? 


THINGS  IKWA  MAKES  FROM  BONE 

AND  IVORY 

Ikwa  is  a skillful  worker  in  bone  and  ivory. 
H e has  made  many  things  out  of  them. 

Some  of  these  things  are  of  great  use  to  Ikwa 
and  his  family. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


87 


There  are  knives  and  spoons,  and 
needles  and  needle-cases. 

There  are  arrows  and  spear- 
heads. .r  . 

There  are  ice-picks  and  sledge- 

runners,  and  a snow  shovel.  An  Eskuno oone  spoon 
l There  are  some  queer  little  images  of 
• animals,  and  some 

Ikwa's  ice~pick  toys  for  the  children  to  play  with. 
Oh,  I cannot  tell  you  of  all  the  things  that 
Ikwa  has  made  out  of 
bone  and  ivory. 

H ere  are  the  pictures  of 
some  of  them. 

See  how  well  he  has  done  his  work. 

Do  you  not  think  he  has  a great  deal  of 
patience  ? 


A toy  seal  of  ivory 


An  Eskimo  knife 


88 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


SHOOTING  AT  REINDEER  ANTLERS 

Kyo  and  Magda  are  out  on  the  hill  with  some 
other  boys. 

They  are  having  a great  time. 

Before  the  boys  began  to  play  they  brought 
some  reindeer  antlers. 

They  placed  these  in  a row  across  the  hill  not 
far  from  the  bottom. 

They  left  spaces  between  the  antlers  for  the 
sleds  to  pass  through. 

Then  the  boys  went  to  the  top  of  the  hill. 

Each  one  had  his  bow  and  arrows. 

They  get  on  their  sleds,  and  when  they  start 
down  hill  begin  to  shoot. 

Each  boy  tries  to  see  how  many  antlers  he  can 
strike  down  before  coming  to  the  bottom 
of  the  hill. 


The  game  of  “ shooting  the  antlers  ” 


90 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  boy  who  can  strike  the  greatest  number 
wins  the  game. 

This  play  is  fine  sport  for  the  Eskimo  boys. 
They  learn  to  manage  their  bows  and  arrows 
with  great  skill. 


AGOONACK  AND  HER  BABY  SLEDGE 

Agoonack  takes  long  rides  over  the  ice  and 
the  snow  fields. 

She  drives  a dog  and  rides  on  a small  sledge. 

She  calls  the  dog  her  mikie,  and  the  sledge 
her  mickininy  kamutee. 

Mickininy  kamutee  means  baby  sledge. 

Ikwa  made  the  baby  sledge  for  Agoonack. 

Sometimes,  when  he  and  the  boys  have  been 
hunting,  they  have  had  a great  load  to 
bring  home. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


91 


The  long  sledge  would  be  quite  full  with  the 
animals  they  had  caught,  and  the  tools  and 
weapons  they  had  taken  with  them. 

Then  some  one  must  walk,  and  if  they  were 
far  from  home  they  took  turns. 

It  took  a long  time  to  get  home  in  this  way. 

So  Ikwa  has  made  a small  sledge,  and  has 
taught  Agoonack  to  use  it. 


Now  when  he  and  the  boys  go  out  and  are 
to  have  a big  load  to  bring  home,  she  fol- 
lows and  brings  a part  of  that  load  on  the 
mickimny  kamutee. 

Shall  I tell  you  how  Ikwa  made 
the  sledge? 

Perhaps  you  think  he  used  wood. 


The  sledge  was  made  from  bones  and  strips  of  sealskin 


92 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Not  so;  Ikwa  never  had  any  wood  except 
pieces  of  driftwood  from  an  old  shipwreck, 
and  some  small  pieces  given  him  by  white 
men  who  long  ago  visited  the  Northland. 

Oh,  no,  Ikwa  did  not  use  wood  in  making 
the  baby  sledge. 

He  took  bones  and  bound  them  together. 

He  bound  them  with  strips  of  sealskin. 

The  sledge,  when  finished,  was  strong  and 
firm. 

Then  Ikwa  made  a harness  out  of  sealskin. 

One  day  he  told  Agoonack  to  put  on  her 
warm  clothes  and  come  out  with  him. 

The  boys  had  caught  one  of  the  dogs  and 
had  hitched  him  to  the  little  sledge. 

Ikwa  threw  a wolfskin  over  it  and  told  Agoo- 
nack to  jump  on. 

Then  he  taught  her  to  drive. 

At  first  Agoonack  managed  very  badly. 


‘ The  Utile  dog  goes  jump!  jump!  jump! 

The  little  sledge  goes  bump!  bump!  bump!” 


94 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


She  was  often  upset  in  the  snowdrifts. 

But  each  time  she  tried  again,  harder  than 
ever  to  do  as  her  father  did  when  he  drove. 

She  had  gone  often  with  Ikwa  on  sledge  jour- 
neys over  the  snow  fields. 

Th  en  she  had  thought  it  great  fun  to  drive. 

Now  she  found  it  was  also  great  work. 

But  before  many  days  Agoonack  could  drive 
quite  as  well  as  her  brothers. 

Then  her  father  said  she  might  go  with  them 
hereafter,  and  help  bring  home  the  loads. 

Sometimes  the  traveling  is  rough. 

The  little  dog  goes  jump!  jump!  jump! 

The  little  sledge  goes  bump!  bump!  bump! 

But  the  little  girl  keeps  on  her  way  until  she 
has  brought  safely  home  the  things  papa 
has  given  her. 

Isn’t  it  good  to  be  able  to  do  that? 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


95 


THE  IMMOOSI 

Th  is  dish  was  made  from  the 
horn  of  a musk  ox. 

Ikwa  made  it. 

He  cut  off  the  flat 
part  of  the  horn 


that  grows  near 


“ They  call  it  their  immoosi " 


the  head. 

He  put  the  piece  into  a kettle  to  boil. 

When  it  was  soft  Ikwa  took  it  out  and  scraped 
it  until  it  was  quite  thin. 

Th  en  he  bent  the  piece  into  this  shape. 

It  makes  a very  good  dish. 

It  holds  nearly  a quart  of  soup. 

Ikwa  made  a toy  dish  like  this  one  for  the 
children  to  play  with. 

They  call  it  their  immoosi. 

They  play  a queer  game  with  it. 


96 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Their  mother  pours  a little  soup  into  the 
immoosi. 

One  of  the  children  gives  it  a twirl  to  make 
the  dish  spin. 

Then  they  all  stand  very  still  and  wait. 

They  watch  to  see  toward  which  one  the 
handle  points  when  the  dish  stops. 

That  one  may  eat  the  soup. 

Isn’t  this  a funny  game? 


PLAYING  MUSK  OX 

The  boys  have  been  having  great  sport. 

They  are  out  in  the  field  back  of  the  igloo. 
They  have  been  playing  a joke  on  the  dogs. 
Kyo  and  Magda  begged  their  mother  to  let 
them  take  a musk-ox  robe  from  their  bed 
in  the  igloo. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


97 


She  said  they  might,  so  they  got  it  and  stole 
out  quietly  while  the  hungry  dogs  were 
fighting  over  their  breakfast. 

They  ran  as  fast  as  they  could  to  the  field. 

They  got  under  the  skin  and  stretched  it  as 
far  as  they  could. 

It  hung  down  so  only  their  feet  could  be  seen. 

By  this  time  the  dogs  had  finished  eating. 

They  had  had  a good  breakfast. 

They  were  good-natured  now. 


"■The  dogs  jumped  and  yelped,  a)id  caught  a*  the 
dangling  skin  ” 


98 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


All  the  boys  but  Kyo  and  Magda  shouted 
“ Oom-ing-muk ! oom-ing-muk ! ” as  loud 
as  they  could. 

That  means  “ Musk  oxen  ! musk  oxen  ! ” 

The  dogs  heard  and  pricked  up  their  ears 
and  sniffed  the  air. 

Then  they  came  tearing  wildly  into  the  field. 

Kyo  and  Magda  ran  and  bellowed,  and  acted 
as  much  like  a real  musk  ox  as  boys 
could. 

The  dogs  jumped  and  yelped,  and  caught  at 
the  dangling  skin. 

At  last  the  boys  were  so  tired  they  had  to 
stand  still. 

Then  they  threw  off  the  robe. 

You  should  have  seen  the  poor  dogs. 

Their  ears  and  tails  drooped. 

They  looked  much  ashamed,  and  slunk  away. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


99 


They  did  not  think  it  at  all  funny  that  the 
musk  ox  was  not  a real  one. 

The  next  time  they  hear  the  boys  call  “Oom- 
ing-muk ! oom-ing-muk ! ” they  will  sniff 
the  air  twice  before  they  start  on  the  chase. 


THE  ESKIMO  AND  THE  BEAR 

Once  a white  bear  was  very  hungry. 

He  watched  at  a hole  in  the  ice  for  a seal. 
An  Eskimo  came  by  and  saw  the  bear. 

He,  too,  was  after  food. 

He  caught  and  killed  the  white  bear. 

He  carried  him  home  to  his  igloo. 

The  great  white  skin  made  a bed  for  his 
babies. 

The  flesh  was  food  for  him  and  his  family. 
The  bones  gave  him  tools  to  work  with. 


fOO 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Agoonack’s  father  has  caught  many  bears. 
He  tells  the  children  wonderful  stories  about 
them. 

H ere  is  one  of  the  stories  he  tells  them. 


ikwa’s  bear  story 

( This  story  will  be  most  effective  if  read  to  the  children  by  the  teacher.) 

Oh,  the  white  bear  is  wise. 

The  white  bear  is  fierce. 

The  white  bear  is  wise  like  Innuits. 

The  white  bear  is  fierce  like  bears. 

Once  some  Innuits  saw  a walrus. 

They  were  hungry  Innuits. 

They  wanted  the  walrus. 

They  were  wise  Innuits. 

They  came  near  the  walrus. 

A white  bear  saw  the  walrus. 

H e was  a lean  white  bear. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


IOI 


He  wanted  the  walrus. 

H e was  a fierce  white  bear. 

He  would  kill  the  walrus. 

H e was  a wise  white  bear. 

He  took  ice  in  his  arms  and  threw  it  upon 
the  walrus. 

He  killed  the  walrus. 

The  fierce  bear  laughed  when  he  killed  the 
walrus. 

The  Innuits  saw  the  fierce  bear  laugh. 

The  white  bear  was  hungry. 

The  Innuits  were  hungry. 

The  white  bear  was  fierce. 

The  Innuits  were  wise. 

They  killed  the  fierce  white  bear. 

They  took  home  the  fierce  bear. 

They  took  home  the  fierce  bear’s  walrus. 

All  the  Innuits  had  meat. 


102 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


All  the  Innuits  laughed. 

Ikwa  had  meat. 

Ikwa  laughed. 

Ikwa  had  first  seen  the  white  bear. 

So  Ikwa  had  the  white  bear’s  skin. 

Ikwa’s  mickininies  sleep  on  the  fierce  bear’s 
skin. 

The  mickininies  listen,  and  creep  close  to  their 
mother. 

They  are  glad  they  are  not  alone. 

They  are  glad  their  father  is  near. 


HOW  AGOONACK  MADE  HER  DOLL 

Th  is  funny  little  creature  is  Agoonack’s  doll. 
You  musn’t  laugh  at  it. 

Agoonack  thinks  it  a fine  doll,  for  she  made  it. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


i°3 


Her  father  gave  her  some  bits  of  sealskin, 
and  her  mother  gave  her  some  beads  that 


had  come  in  a ship  from  far  away. 

Agoonack  took  these  things  and  went  to  work. 

Among  the  pieces  of  sealskin  she  found  one 
piece  that  was  tanned. 

She  used  this  for  the  doll’s  face,  because  there 
was  no  hair  on  it. 

She  sewed  on  two  round 
black  beads  for  eyes. 

Then  she  sewed  a long 
white  bead  up  and  down 
for  the  nose,  another  cross- 
ways  for  the  mouth,  and  two 
others,  slanting,  for  eyebrows. 

Then  Agoonack  made  a coat  and 
some  trousers  out  of  a piece 
of  reindeer  fur  which  she  found.  Agoonack' s doll 


104 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


She  trimmed  the  coat  and  hood  all  around 
with  an  edging  of  black  fur. 

Next  she  made  a little  pair  of  sealskin  kamiks, 
like  the  ones  she  wears  on  her  own  feet. 

Then  she  made  a tiny  sealskin  belt,  and  last 
of  all  a pair  of  wee  fur  mittens. 

Now  what  do  you  think  Agoonack  used  for 
the  inside  of  her  doll  ? 

She  stuffed  the  little  suit  brimful  of  dry  moss. 

Th  en  she  sewed  it  up. 

Th  e arms  and  legs  stuck  out  beautifully. 

Oh,  what  a fine  doll! 

It  could  almost  stand  alone. 

It  had  taken  Agoonack  a long  time  to  make 
the  doll. 

Sometimes  she  had  grown  very  tired,  and 
had  thrown  her  work  on  the  floor,  and 
had  said  she  didn’t  want  a doll. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


105 

Then  her  mother  would  say,  “Nahme  peeuk 
Agoonack!”  and  tell  about  the  doll  she 
had  made  when  she  was  a little  girl. 

Agoonack  would  go  to  work  again. 

Now  she  has  the  doll  to  play  with,  and  is  so 
glad  she  kept  working  until  it  was  done. 

All  the  little  girls  she  knows  have  come  to 
see  her  doll,  and  the  doll  has  been  taken 
to  visit  them. 

Each  girl  wanted  a doll  just  like  it,  so  Agoo- 
nack has  tried  to  show  them  how  she 
made  hers. 

Some  of  them  have  finished  their  dolls,  but 
none  are  quite  so  fine  as  Agoonack’s. 

That  is  because  she  worked  hard  and  long. 


A toy  bear  made  from  ivory 


io6 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


NOO-GLOO-TOOK 

The  men  and  boys  are  playing  noo-gloo-took. 

They  have  hung  from  the  center  of  the  igloo 
a small  ivory  cylinder. 

To  the  lower  end  is  tied  a stone,  or  some  other 
heavy  thing,  to  keep  it  from  swinging. 

The  cylinder  is  pierced  through  and  through 
with  holes. 

Each  player  has  a long,  pointed  stick. 

They  all  stand  m a circle  and  one  man 
shouts  “ Yi ! yi ! ” 

Th  en  all  begin  jabbing  at  the  little  cylinder. 

The  first  one  whose  stick  goes  into  a hole 
screams  “Yi!  yi!”  again,  and  everybody 
stops. 

This  lucky  man  is  given  a musk-ox  robe,  a 
sledge,  a knife,  or  some  other  useful  thing. 

Then  the  game  goes  on  again. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


107 


How  strange  of  these  people  to  give  and  take, 


in  a game,  things  that  cost  them  months 
and  months  of  weary  labor! 

The  children  also  play  a game  called  noo- 
gloo-took. 

They  use  a piece  of  ivory  full  of  round  holes. 

Fastened  to  it  by  a string  is  a round  pin  just 
large  enough  to  fit  the  holes  in  the  ivory. 

The  children  hold  the  pin  in  their  hands,  and 
swing  the  other  part  round  and  round. 

As  it  goes  whirling  through  the  air,  they  try 
to  catch  it  on  the  sharp  point  of  the 


pm. 


But  they  only  say  “Yi!  yi  ! ” 4|j 
and  try  again. 


If  they  fail  to  do  so  the  heavy 
ivory  comes  whack  against 
their  fingers. 


/ 


The  children's 
noo-gloo-tonk 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


FLOATING  OUT  ON  THE  SEA 

Such  a fearful  thing  happened  to  Kyo  and 
Magda. 

One  dark  day  there  was  no  food  in  the  home. 

Ikwa  was  mending  his  long  sledge  and  could 
not  leave  until  that  was  done. 

So  he  told  the  boys  to  go  far  out  on  the  ice 
and  hunt  for  pussy  igloos. 

That  is  what  he  called  the  little  seal  houses. 

Perhaps  the  boys  could  get  a young  seal  for 
dinner. 

Ikwa  said  he  would  follow  with  the  dogs  and 
the  sledge  to  bring  them  and  the  seal 
home  if  they  caught  one. 

Kyo  and  Magda  started  out. 

They  walked  and  walked. 

At  1 ast  they  came  to  a place  where  hum- 
mocks of  snow  rose  above  the  ice. 


j-jov.  ~ - ■ p^ROW 


' They  came  to  a place  where  hummocks  of  snow  rose  above  the  ice  " 


I IO 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  boys  had  hunted  seals  with  their  father. 

They  knew  these  were  the  seal  houses. 

They  got  close  to  one  and  kept  very  still. 

if  th  e seals  were  away  they  might  come  back 
any  moment. 

The  boys  had  waited  in  silence  for  a long 
time,  when  Magda  heard  Kyo  shout. 

The  ice  they  were  on  had  broken  away  from 
the  mainland.  ' 

[ 

A great  gulf  of  water  lay  between  them  and 
the  solid  ice. 

They  were  slowly  drifting  out  to  sea. 

The  boys  ran  to  the  edge  of  the  ice,  but  there  j 
was  no  way  to  get  back. 

They  called  aloud  again  and  again. 

Each  time  their  voices  came  back  to  them. 

They  then  felt  more  alone  and  more  fearful 
than  before. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


T I I 


But  they  must  not  be  still. 

It  was  growing  colder  and  colder. 

The  wind  had  risen,  and  flakes  of  snow  were 
flying  through  the  air. 

The  boys  had  once  been  with  their  father 
when  he  was  caught  in  a storm  far  away 
from  home. 

They  knew  what  to  do  now. 

They  built  an  igloo. 

The  sea  dashed  around  them,  and  sometimes 
the  water  splashed  over  them. 

The  ice  rocked  beneath  their  feet. 

But  at  last  the  snow  house  was  finished  and 
they  crawled  into  it  out  of  the  storm. 

But  the  boys  could  not  stay  there  long. 

They  kept  going  out  to  look  about,  hoping 
each  time  to  see  some  one  coming  to  get 
them. 


I I 2 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


But  no  one  came. 

They  were  now  in  the  open  sea,  and  drifting 
farther  and  farther  from  home. 

Suddenly  the  wind  changed,  and  the  ice  on 
which  they  stood  also  changed  its  course. 

Now  all  about  them  came  great  blocks  of 
ice,  rolling,  crashing,  and  splashing  in  the 
foaming  water. 

Sometimes  these  blocks  crashed  into  the  one 
on  which  they  stood,  so  that  the  boys 
thought  they  would  be  thrown  into  the 

sea. 

But  look!  what  was  that  in  the  distance? 

w as  it  the  great  ice  field  ? 

Yes,  they  were  surely  being  driven  towards 
the  land. 

Oh  ! oh  ! oh  ! They  were  getting  nearer  and 


nearer. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 1 3 

At  last  they  were  very  close  to  shore,  and 
Kyo  said  they  must  get  over  the  rest  of 
the  way  themselves. 

The  wind  might  change  again  any  moment,  so 
they  must  jump  across,  on  the  cakes  of  ice. 

So  they  started — jump!  jump!  jump! 

H ow  the  cakes  of  ice  swayed  and  tipped  and 
slipped  under  their  feet ! 


Oh,  how  good  it  seemed  to  be  safe  once  more ! 

Now  they  would  run  home  as  fast  as  they 
could. 

But  off  in  the  distance,  calling  to  them,  they 
saw  their  father. 

He  was  coming  to  meet  them. 

Oh,  do  you  not  think  they  were  glad  to  see 
him  ? 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 14 

THE  LEAN,  HUNGRY  BEAR 

( This  story  will  be  most  effective  if  read  to  the  children  by  the  teacher.) 

One  night  a strange  thing  happened  to  Agoo- 
nack. 

She  was  snug  in  bed  and  half  asleep. 

She  was  wrapped  in  the  fierce  bear’s  skin. 

It  was  very  still,  and  Agoonack  thought  she 
was  all  alone. 

Th  en  such  a fearful  thing  happened. 

The  fierce  bear’s  skin  moved. 

Oh!  oh!  oh!  it  stood  up. 

Arms  and  legs  grew  on  it,  and  a tail. 

It  had  eyes  and  ears. 

It  had  a big  mouth  and  a red  tongue  and 
sharp  teeth. 

It  was  a bear! 

The  bear  looked  at  Agoonack. 

He  laughed. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


He  said,  “Now  I have  you. 

You  are  a fat  little  girl. 

I am  a lean,  hungry  bear. 

I will  eat  you. 

I will  eat  Nipsu,  too. 

I will  eat  your  father  and  mother. 

I will  eat  you  all.” 

The  bear  opened  his  mouth  very  wide,  and 
Agoonack  saw  way  down  his  throat. 

Then  he  laughed  again  and  said: 

“When  I have  eaten  you  all  I’ll  jump  through 
the  top  of  the  igloo  and  smash  it  and  run 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Oh,  I’m  such  a lean,  hungry  bear! 

I will  jump  into  all  the  igloos  and  eat  all  the 
mickinmies. 

Th  en  I will  eat  all  the  Innuits  and  smash  all 
the  igloos. 

And  then  I will  run  off  and  jump  on  an  ice- 
berg and  jump  up  into  the  sky  and  live 
with  the  great  star  bear.  Ha!  ha!  ha! 

Oh,  I am  such  a lean,  hungry  bear!” 

And  Agoonack  saw  the  bear’s  teeth  and  felt 
his  red  tongue — and  oh,  how  she  screamed! 
— and  what  do  you  think? 

She  didn’t  see  any  bear,  and  there  were  her 
father  and  her  mother  and  Nipsu,  asleep 
beside  her,  and  Nipsu  had  his  foot  in  her 
face. 

That  was  the  bear. 

Agoonack  had  been  dreaming. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


"Ikwa  is  making  a knife  ” 

IKWA  MAKING  AN  IRON  KNIFE 

( This  story  will  be  most  effective  if  read  to  the  childrezi  by  the  teacherl) 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!” 

Ikwa  is  making  a knife. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!”  goes  the  iron 
against  the  stone. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!” 

Th  ree  long  years  Ikwa  has  been  working  to 
make  this  knife. 


1 1 8 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!”  and  it  is  not  yet 
clone. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!” 

In  three  years  more  he  may  finish  it. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!”  and  so  he  is  work- 
ing away. 

Long,  long  ago  some  white  men  came  in  a 
ship  to  the  Northland. 

The  white  men  gave  Ikwa  a piece  of  rusty 
iron. 

They  gave  him  also  an  old  steel  file. 

Ikwa  looked  at  the  iron. 

He  looked  at  the  file. 

Ah ! out  of  the  iron  he  would  make  a long 
knife. 

Out  of  the  file  he  would  make  a good  chisel. 

He  would  cut  the  long  knife  from  the  iron 
with  the  good  chisel  he  would  make. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


So  Ikwa  took  home  the  rusty  iron  and  the  old 
steel  file  the  white  men  had  given  him. 

He  showed  them  to  Mane. 

He  told  her  the  things  he  would  make  of 
them. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!’’  went  the  file  against 
a stone. 

He  had  begun  to  make  a chisel  from  the  file 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!’’  little  by  little  and 
day  by  day. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!” 

Months  passed  by. 

One  day  Ikwa  looked  at  his  file. 

Then  he  scraped  no  more. 

It  had  an  edge,  and  it  would  cut. 

It  was  now  a chisel. 

Then  Ikwa  got  out  the  piece  of  rusty  iron. 


Ikwa's  iron  knife 


I 20 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


He  began  to  work  upon  it  with  the  chisel  he 
had  made. 

“Chink ! chink ! chink ! ” went  the  steel  against 

O 

the  iron. 

“Chink!  chink!  chink!”  it  sang  from  day  to 
day. 

A whole  year  passed  by  and  then  another 
year. 

At  last  one  day  that  work,  too,  was  ended. 
The  knife  was  cut  from  the  iron. 

It  had  thick,  blunt  edges. 

It  was  three  long  years  since  Ikwa  began  this 
work. 

Now  he  looked  at  it. 

He  turned  the  knife  over  and  over. 

He  said:  “Now  I will  sharpen  the  edge  of 
my  long  knife.” 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!” 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


121 


The  work  has  begun  again. 

“Scrape!  scrape!  scrape!” 

Perhaps  for  three  years  more. 

Then  some  day  Ikwa  will  look  at  the  knife 
again. 

He  will  feel  the  long  knife’s  edge. 

It  will  be  sharp. 

It  will  cut. 

The  knife  will  be  finished. 

Ikwa  will  go  to  Mane. 

He  will  show  her  the  long  knife  made  from 
the  rusty  iron  white  men  had  given  him. 
Mane  will  take  the  knife. 

She  will  look  at  it. 

She  will  turn  it  over  and  over. 

She  will  run  her  fingers  along  its  sharp  edge. 
Then  Mane  will  give  the  knife  back  to  Ikwa. 
She  will  say  to  herself: 


122 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“The  long  knife  is  a good  knife. 

Ikwa  made  it. 

Oh!  Ikwa  is  wise,  Ikwa  is  great. 

Other  Innuits  can  make  knives,  but  not  like 
Ikwa’s  good  long  knife.” 

And  Mane  will  go  back  to  her  work  proud 
and  contented. 


NO  SOAP,  NO  TOWELS,  NO  WATER 

O-o-o ! O-o-o!  Nipsu  and  Agoonack  are 
such  dirty  children. 

They  do  not  know  what  it  is  to  have  a bath. 
They  have  no  soap. 

They  have  no  towels. 

During  the  long,  cold  winter  there  is  no  water 
in  the  whole  Northland. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  people  melt  snow  to  get  water  to  a 

Agoonack  and  Nipsu  help  bring  in  sni 
each  day. 

Th  eir  mother  puts  it  in  a pan  over  the  stone 
lamp. 

After  a while  it  melts  and  makes  a very  little 
water. 

If  the  children  and  their  mother  did  not  do 
this  the  family  would  have  nothing  to 
drink. 

But  it  takes  much  snow  to  make  a little  water, 
the  long,  long  winter  through. 

It  takes  much  fire  to  melt  the  snow  to  make 
a little  water,  the  long,  long  winter 
through. 

It  takes  much  oil  to  feed  the  fire,  to  melt  the 
snow,  to  make  a little  water,  the  long,  long 
winter  through. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


ices  much  fat  to  make  the  oil,  to  feed  the 
fire,  to  melt  the  snow,  to  make  a little  water, 
the  long,  long  winter  through. 

It  takes  much  work  to  get  the  fat,  to  make 
the  oil,  to  feed  the  fire,  to  melt  the  snow, 
to  make  a little  water,  the  long,  long  win- 
ter through. 

Do  you  think  that  Nipsu  or  Agoonack,  or 
their  mother,  or  anyone  would  use  this 
water  to  wash  in  when  it  costs  so  much 
time  and  labor? 

No!  No!  That  would  seem  a sin  to  them. 

They  do  not  know  how  good  it  is  to  be  clean, 
but  they  know  how  hard  it  is  to  get  water. 

Once  Agoonack  and  Nipsu  saw  their  mamma 
wash  baby’s  face. 

She  washed  it  with  her  tongue  just  as  the 
mamma  cats  wash  the  kittens’  faces. 


Getting  a seal , which  gives  the  fat , to  make  the  oil 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 26 

The  baby’s  face  grew  almost  white. 

It  was  a strange  sight,  and  the  children  asked 
their  mamma  many  questions. 

She  told  them  that  each  of  them  had  been 
washed  in  the  same  way. 

But  this  was  long  ago. 

The  children’s  faces  are  now  quite  brown 
with  grease  and  dirt,  and  their  mother’s 
face  is  still  darker. 

H ow  sad,  not  to  know  how  to  be  clean ! 

No  soap,  no  towels,  no  water. 

Poor  people ! 


Suppose  we  were  you, 
And  you  were  we. 
But  oh  ! how  dreadful 
That  would  be ! 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


127 


If  we  were  you, 

And  you  were  we, 
Then  we  the  unwashed 
Folks  would  be! 


THE  AIR 

The  air,  the  pure,  cold  air.  How  it  works 
through  the  long  Northland  winters! 

The  stinging,  biting  air.  How  much  it  does 
for  these  poor  people!  And  no  one  need 
labor  to  get  it. 

It  pushes  its  way  into  foul  little  huts  and 
drives  out  bad  odors  there. 

It  creeps  between  suits  of  soiled  clothing  and 
leaves  them  less  unclean. 

It  reaches  deep  down  into  men’s  lungs  and 
touching  dark  blood  makes  it  pure  and  red. 


128 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Oh,  is  it  not  good  that  these  people  have  this 
keen,  cold  air  to  work  for  them  ? 

Is  it  not  good  that  it  keeps  them  well  and 
strong,  even  in  foul  homes  and  unclean 
bodies  ? 


JUNE 

It  is  June. 

Summer  has  come. 

The  sun  shines  all  day  and  all  night. 

The  ice  has  melted  in  the  streams. 

Green  grass  and  pretty  mosses  grow 
everywhere. 

Little  pink  and  white  and  yellow 
blossoms  peep  out  at  us. 

The  birds  have  come  back  from  the  south, 
and  are  nesting  upon  the  rocks.  -Yeiiow 

blossoms 

Fishes  dart  to  and  fro  in  the  clear  water.  %e{s»u* 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


129 


The  snow  igloos  are  gone. 

Each  family  has  a skin  tent,  or  a little  hut 
made  of  earth  and  stone. 

Women  and  children  are  out  gathering  moss. 

Boys  are  getting  eggs  from  the  nests  on  the 
rocks. 

Men  are  mending  boats,  or  hunting,  or  fishing. 

There  are  many  things  to  be  done  before  the 
cold  winter  comes  again. 

Everybody  is  busy. 


THE  TENT 
H ere  is  an  Eskimo  tent. 

H ow  would  you  like  to  live  in  a tent  like  this? 
It  is  made  of  the  skins  and  bones  of  animals. 
The  poles  are  walrus  bones. 

The  coverings  are  deerskins. 


130 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Ati  Eskimo's  summer  ient 

The  Eskimos  use  tents  in  summer. 

They  take  them  whenever  they  move. 

When  they  live  near  the  sea,  they  build  boats 
and  catch  fish. 

Their  tents  are  near. 

Sometimes,  when  they  hunt,  they  go  far  inland. 
Their  tents  go,  too. 

Eskimos  must  live  where  they  can  find  food. 
If  it  is  winter  when  they  move,  they  build  a 
new  hut  each  time. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


131 

Not  so  in  summer. 

They  carry  their  tents  with  them. 

It  takes  much  time  and  labor  to  make  these 
tents,  and  they  are  carefully  kept  from 
summer  to  summer. 


THE  BIRDS 

High  up  among  the  rocks  there  is  still  snow. 
It  is  a thousand  years  old. 

The  sun  cannot  drive  it  away. 

Near  the  sea  many  places  are  warm  and  dry. 
Birds  fly  to  and  fro,  and  perch  upon  the 
rocks. 

Some  are  pluming  their  feathers  and  sunning 
themselves  after  a morning  swim. 

Many  are  out  in  search  of  food. 

Others  are  nesting,  while  a few  already  have 


132 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


young  ones  to  care 
for. 

Most  of  the  birds  have 
been  south  during 
the  long,  cold  winter, 
but  a few  brave  the 
wind  and  storm  the 
year  round. 

Perhaps  some  of  these 
very  birds  have  gath- 
ered seeds  in  our 
own  fields  and  gar- 
dens. 


“ Birds  fly  to  and fro , and  perch  upoti  the  rocks 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


i33 


THE  SNOW  BUNTING 

H ow  do  you  do! 

Don’t  you  know  me? 

I am  the  snow  bunting. 

In  winter  I wear  a little  brown  upon  my  head 
and  back. 

In  summer  I am  dressed  in  white,  with  just 
a touch  of  black  upon  my  wings  and  tail. 

I am  so  white  some  people  call  me  “Snow- 
flake.” 

My  food  is  the  tiny  seeds  of  plants  and  grasses. 


134 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


My  friends  and  I glean  from  field  and  wayside. 

Sometimes  the  seeds  are  few  and  far  between. 

We  do  not  mind. 

It  takes  but  little  to  keep  us  well  and  happy. 

When  cold  winds  sweep  the  land,  and  snows 
go  whirling  through  the  air,  you  find  us 
out  in  the  storm,  singing  with  hearts  of 
glee  our  sweetest  songs. 

Oh,  we  are  hardy  birds!  We  like  the  cold. 

We  like  the  snowy  Northland. 


When  other  birds  are  far  away 
In  sunny  lands  where  breezes  play, 

We  are  tossed  about  o’er  fields  of  snow, 
By  all  the  icy  winds  that  blow, 

Or  live  in  twilight  cold  and  dim, 
Sheltered  beneath  the  icebergs  grim. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 35 


BRIGHT  AND  DAINTY  FLOWERS 


Oh,  blossoms  bright,  oh,  blossoms  sweet, 
Nodding,  trembling  at  my  feet, 

In  pink  and  yellow  and  purple  and  white, 
With  faces  a-tdt,  all  catching  the  light, 
Where  do  you  come  from,  and  how  do 
you  grow? 

The  earth  was  but  yesterday  covered 
with  snow. 


A Northland 
poppy 


Ah,  yes,  the  ice  and  the  snow  were  above, 
But  the  great  sun  sent  us  his  message  of  love, 
And  awakened  us  out  of  a winter’s  long  sleep, 
And  whispered,  “’Tis  time  a new  birthday 
to  keep.” 

So  we  lifted  our  faces  once  more  to  the  light, 
Lo!  winter  was  ended,  the  whole  earth  was 
bright, 

And  now  we  just  grow  and  grow  and  grow, 
And  forget  all  about  the  ice  and  the  snow. 


136 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“/  lash  the  sea  until  it  foams" 


THE  WHALE 
I am  the  whale. 

I am  the  largest  animal  on  land  or  sea. 

See  my  tail. 

I can  lift  it  way  out  of  the  water. 

I can  crack  it  so  loud  men  hear  it  far  inland. 
Sometimes  I lash  the  sea  until  it  foams. 

I blow  water  high  into  the  air,  like  smoke. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


07 


Perhaps  you  think  I am  a fish. 

I am  not  a fish. 

Fishes  have  cold  blood.  Mine  is  warm. 
Fishes  cannot  breathe  out  of  the  water. 

I cannot  breathe  in  the  water. 

When  I am  at  the  top  I take  a long,  deep 
breath. 

Then  I go  down,  down,  down. 

When  I need  to  breathe  again,  up  I come. 

I can  swim  fast. 

I am  a great  animal. 

Men  are  always  trying  to  catch  me. 

But  when  I see  them  coming  I say: 


“ Blow  in  the  air , all  men  to  scare 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


138 

“Whale,  whale,  lash  the  sea  with  your  tail. 
Blow  in  the  air,  all  men  to  scare, 

Their  boats  upset!  shun  spear  and  net! 
Whale,  whale,  lash  the  sea  with  your  tail.” 


THE  FAMILY  TUPEC 

Agoonack’s  family  have  a new  tent. 

They  call  it  their  tupec. 

They  sleep  in  the  tupec  at  night. 

They  work  there  by  day  when  it  is  stormy. 
The  covering  is  made  of  sealskin. 

The  poles  are  walrus  bones. 

Agoonack’s  father  and  brother  got  the  things 
to  make  the  tent. 

Agoonack  and  her  mother  cleaned  the  skins 
and  sewed  them  together. 

It  took  all  the  family  to  set  up  the  tupec. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


09 


When  that  was  done  they  were  much  pleased. 

Sometimes  the  rain  leaks  through  and  wets 
them. 

Often  the  wind  blows  it  to  the  ground. 

Then  it  must  be  set  up  again. 

But  Agoonack  and  all  the  family  think  that 
no  other  home  could  be  so  good  for  sum- 
mer as  the  little  brown  tupec. 


A group  of  Eskimo  tupecs  o?i  the  shore  in  summer 


140 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


MAKING  A NEEDLE  OF  IRON 

Mane  is  making  a needle. 

Ikwa  has  given  her  a piece  of  rusty  iron. 

This  rusty  iron  came  from  an  old  wrecked  ship 
which  he  had  discovered  along  the  shore. 

Now  Mane  will  work  as  hard  as  Ikwa,  when 
he  made  his  knife. 

“Scratch!  scratch!  scratch!”  she  is  rubbing 
the  iron  against  a stone. 

You  ask,  “ H ow  will  she  ever  make  a needle 
from  that  piece  of  old  iron?” 

I cannot  tell,  but  Mane  will  surely  make  one. 

Like  Ikwa’s  knife,  it  may  be  months  and 
years  before  the  needle  is  ready  for  use, 
but  sometime  Mane  will  finish  it. 

When  finished,  it  will  be  very  clumsy. 

Do  you  know  what  kind  of  thread  Mane  will 
use  when  she  sews  with  this  needle? 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


141 


Eskimos  get  iron  from  the  wrecks  of  ships 

From  the  side  of  the  tupec  there  hangs  a 
bundle  of  deerskins. 

The  skins  have  been  torn  into  long  strips, 
like  shoe-strings. 

The  strips  are  thick  and  tough. 

When  Mane  sews  with  her  iron  needle  she 
will  have  near  her  a bundle  of  these  strips. 

Whenever  a new  thread  is  needed,  she  will 
draw  from  the  bundle  a long  strip. 


J 


It  may  take  Mane  years  to  make  this  needle 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


H3 


You  see  it  needs  a great  clumsy  needle  to 
sew  with  such  thick,  tough  threads. 

So  Mane  is  making  her  needle. 

“Scratch!  scratch!  scratch!” 

It  may  take  her  years  to  make  it. 

But  Mane  is  going  to  do  it. 

“Scratch!  scratch!  scratch!” 

Sometime  she  will  finish  the  needle. 
“Scratch!  scratch!  scratch!” 

And  then  how  well  it  will  sew  for  her! 
“Scratch!  scratch!  scratch!” 


MR.  FOX 
H ow  do  you  do? 

I am  Mr.  Fox. 

I have  a thick  fur  coat. 
My  hair  is  soft  and  long. 


1 44 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


is  snow-white. 

I have  a sharp  nose,  and  I can  smell  meat 
afar  off. 

My  ears  are  sharp,  and  I can  hear  low  sounds. 
See  my  bushy  tail  and  slender  legs. 

I run  very  swiftly. 

In  spring  my  coat  gets  thin. 

The  long  hair  falls  out. 

In  summer  my  hair  is  short  and  woolly. 
Some  foxes  have  holes  in  the  ground. 

I live  in  a fine  cave  among  the  rocks. 

1 like  to  hunt. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


H5 


I get  my  food  from  land  and  sea. 

I go  fishing. 

I catch  birds. 

I get  eggs  from  the  nests. 

Sometimes  I find  meat  that  men  have  gotten 
for  food. 

I seize  it,  and  run  for  my  cave  in  the  rocks 
before  anyone  can  catch  me. 

Th  en  I have  a fine  dinner. 

In  summer  the  baby  foxes  come. 

Then  Mrs.  Fox  has  a busy  time. 

The  little  foxes  must  be  washed  and  fed. 
They  must  be  kept  from  harm. 

I go  everywhere  in  search  of  food. 

Mrs.  Fox  never  goes  far  from  her  little  ones. 
In  time  they  are  taught  to  get  their  own  food. 
They  learn  to  keep  themselves  out  of  danger. 
Oh!  we  are  a wise  and  happy  family. 


146 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


“ We  are  water  birds" 


EIDER  DUCKS 
We  are  eider  ducks. 

See  our  pretty  feathers. 

Mine  are  reddish  brown. 

My  mate’s  are  black  and  white,  and  he  has 
green  legs. 

We  go  south  in  winter,  but  in  summer  we 
live  in  the  Northland. 

Do  you  see  our  webbed  feet? 

We  are  water  birds. 

We  love  to  swim  and  dive. 

We  get  our  food  from  the  water. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


H7 


But  our  nest  is  on  the  land. 

We  once  had  another  nest. 

I had  lined  it  with  down  from  my  breast  to 
make  it  soft. 

I had  laid  eggs  in  the  nest. 

Then  I had  pulled  more  down  to  cover  them. 
I sat  upon  the  eggs  day  and  night. 

I kept  them  warm. 

I was  waiting  for  baby  ducks. 

My  mate  watched  beside  me. 

One  day  we  saw  some  men. 

They  came  straight  to  us. 

They  lifted  me  from  my  nest. 

They  took  out  the  soft  bed  I had  made. 
They  took  out  my  eggs  and  went  away. 

My  mate  and  I were  alone. 

We  were  much  troubled. 

Why  did  those  men  do  this  ? 


148 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


THE  SECOND  NEST 
We  then  made  another  nest. 

I pulled  more  down. 

There  was  not  enough  to  line  it,  so  my  mate 
helped  me. 

He  plucked  down  from  his  own  white  breast. 
Now  the  nest  is  ready. 

I shall  lay  more  eggs  and  sit  again. 

When  the  little  ducks  come  I shall  take 
them  to  the  water. 

They  will  be  afraid,  and  will  not  go  in. 

I shall  have  to  get  them  on  my  back. 

Then  into  the  water  we  will  go. 

I shall  dive  down  and  leave  them. 

How  they  will  call  to  me! 

But  they  will  not  drown. 

They  will  have  to  swim. 

That  is  the  way  to  teach  them. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


149 


Soon  they  will  swim  as  well  as  I. 

Then  we  shall  have  fine  times. 

Th  is  is  the  way  I talk  to  the  ducklings  the 
first  time  we  go  in : 


Quack!  quack!  quack! 

Downy  ducks  on  mother’s  back, 
All  of  you  must  sit  just  so, 

For  into  water  now  we  go. 
Quack!  quack!  quack! 


'•o": 


IKWA’S  RAIN  COAT 

Ikwa  has  a rain  coat. 

It  is  made  of  entrail  skin. 

He  took  the  skin  from  the  entrails  of  a seal. 
Mane  cleaned  it  and  cut  it  into  long  strips. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


150 


Then  she  sewed  the  strips  together. 

Here  is  I®  a picture  of  the  coat  which 

Mane  made. 


Ikwa  wears  it  when  he  goes 
out  in  his  boat. 

He  does  not  mind  the  rain  or 
the  sea  dashing  over  him. 

His  good  rain  coat  keeps  him  dry. 


IKWA’S  BOAT 


This  is  Ikwa’s  boat. 
He  calls  it  his  kayak 
The  frame  was 
Then  it  was 


made  of  walrus  bones. 

with  sealskin. 


A kayak 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


151 


The  top  is  covered,  like  the  sides  of  the 
boat. 

A round  hole  is  left  in  the  center  where 
Ikwa  sits. 

The  entrail-skin  coat  Mane  made  him 
comes  down  around  this  hole  and  is 
fastened  tightly  about  it. 

What  a funny  paddle  Ikwa  uses! 

He  holds  it  in  the  middle  and  dips  it  into 
the  water,  first  on  one  side  of  the  boat 
and  then  on  the  other. 

The  Eskimo  people  do  wonderful  things 
in  their  kayaks,  and  are  not  drowned. 

Ikwa  can  dive  into  the  water,  turning  his 
kayak  over  and  come  right  side  up 
without  getting  any  water  into  the  boat. 

In  this  little  skin  boat  Ikwa  glides  through 
stormy  seas  and  is  not  afraid.  The  kayak 

J paddle 


“/«  his  little  canoe,  far  out  on  the  wave , 
He  is  master  of  all , his  heart  is  so  brave 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


*53 


The  winds  are  pushing  like  giants  bold, 

The  ocean  roars  like  a monster  old, 

But  Ikwa  fights  with  the  winds  and  the  sea; 
Great  strength  have  they,  wisdom  has  he. 

In  his  little  canoe,  far  out  on  the  wave, 

He  is  master  of  all,  his  heart  is  so  brave. 


GATHERING  FLOWERS 

f i ^ 

■ \ 

FOR  FOOD 

1 ' i 

Nipsu  and  Agoonack  often 
£ o with  their  mother  to 

i 

i : % 

A * is, 

"A  Ao 

gather  flowers. 

' 1 

A £oonack  knows  where 
there  is  a great  patch  of 
purple  ones. 

The  blossoms  are  so  pretty  that 
Nipsu  wants  to  keep  them 

in  his  hands. 


Northland 

saxifrage 


154 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Mane  and  Agoonack  put  all  they  gather  into 
a skin  bag. 

When  the  bag  is  full  they  carry  it  home. 

Mane  empties  the  flowers  into  a dish,  and 
pours  a little  water  over  them. 

Then  she  lights  the  stone  lamp  and  sets  the 
dish  of  flowers  over  it  to  cook. 

What  a sweet  smell  comes  from  those  cook- 
ing flowers ! 

Nipsu  and  Agoonack  can  hardly  wait  until 
they  are  done. 

At  last  the  mother  takes  the  dish  from  the  fire. 

It  is  so  hot!  and  they  are  so  hungry! 

She  stirs  and  stirs  with  that  big  bone  spoon, 
until  the  children  are  sure  it  is  too  cold. 

But  Mane  wants  no  tongue  burned. 

Finally  she  puts  the  dish  on  the  floor  and 
sits  down  with  them  to  eat. 


“ She  stirs  and  stirs  with  that  big  bone  spoon 


•56 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Oh ! did  ever  anything  taste  so  good  as  those 
cooked  flowers? 

Nipsu  and  Agoonack  think  not. 


HUNTING  BIRDS’  EGGS 

Kyo  and  Magda  have  been  up  on  the  rocks. 

They  h ave  been  hunting  birds’  eggs. 

They  found  many,  and  put  them  into  a bag. 

The  boys  are  taking  the  eggs  home  for  their 
father’s  supper. 

He  will  eat  every  one  of  them. 

Eskimo  mothers  and  Eskimo  children  never 
get  any  eggs  to  eat. 

The  hungry  fathers  and  big  brothers  eat  them 
all. 

When  Kyo  and  Magda  went  out  they  took  a 
bird  net  with  them. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


'57 


They  succeeded  in  catching  several  birds,  and 
have  them  in  the  bag  with  the  eggs. 

Their  mother  will  cook  the  birds  for  supper. 
The  boys  are  very  hungry. 


PLAYING  TOGETHER 

All  the  children  in  the  village  are  at  play. 

They  are  out  in  the  green  fields  back  of  the 
tupecs,  and  are  playing  sand-bag  ball. 

They  have  a little  sealskin  bag  partly  filled 
with  sand. 

It  is  much  like  our  bean  bag. 

The  children  are  sending  this  back  and  forth 
through  the  air. 

Each  child  tries  to  strike  it  with  the  palm  of 
the  hand. 

If  the  bag  falls  to  the  ground  the  game  ends. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


158 

Then  all  rest  before  beginning  a new  one. 
The  little  people  often  play  this  game. 
Now  they  have  learned  to  be  very  skillful. 
Oh,  how  they  shout ! 

What  fun  they  are  having! 


WHAT  THE  ESKIMOS  GET  FROM 
THE  WHALE 

One  day  Ikwa  and  some  other  men  caught 
a whale. 

It  was  too  large  to  carry  home. 

So  they  drew  it  upon  the  shore  and  divided  it. 
They  stripped  off  the  skin. 

The  outside  was  black  and  tough. 

The  inside  was  covered  with  thick  fat. 

Th  is  fat  is  called  blubber. 

Sometimes  it  is  two  feet  thick. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


i59 


The  whale  is  drawn  upon  the  shore 

Eskimos  never  waste  the  blubber. 

It  is  of  great  use  to  them. 

They  often  use  it  for  food. 

They  get  oil  from  it  for  their  lamps. 

From  one  whale  they  get  many  barrels  of  oil. 
Agoonack  and  Nipsu  are  fond  of  blubber. 
All  the  children  like  it. 

They  like  to  eat  it,  even  when  it  is  frozen. 

11 


i6o 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


THE  DOVEKIE 
This  bird  is  called  a 
dovekie. 

Its  body  is  black. 

Its  throat  and  breast  are 
white. 

There  are  white  stripes 
on  the  wings. 

Its  feet  and  legs  are 
bright  red. 

Its  feet  are  webbed,  and 
it  swims  and  dives 
like  a duck. 

It  gets  food  from  the  water,  or  along  the  shore 
where  the  waves  wash  little  fishes  upon 
the  sand. 

The  wings  of  the  dovekie  are  small,  but  he 
moves  swiftly  through  the  air. 


I am  a dovekie 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 6 1 


This  bird  makes  its  nest  in  crevices  in  the 
rocks. 

It  lays  one  or  two  bluish  eggs  about 
the  size  of  a pigeon’s. 

Hundreds  of  dovekies  flock  together  and 
perch  upon  the  cliffs  along  the  seashore. 

There  they  sit,  their  black  and  white  coats 
and  pretty  red  legs  shining  in  the  sun. 

They  look  like  little  soldiers  guarding  the  sea. 

Those  plump  bodies  and  bright  legs  bring 
them  a sad  fate. 

Hungry  men  want  their  flesh  for  food. 

Women  want  the  red  skins  that  cover  their 
legs. 

They  fill  these  red  skins  with  melted  fat  and 
give  them  to  the  children. 

Boys  and  girls  eat  them  as  you  eat  candy. 

They  think  the  red  sticks  of  fat  are  very  fine. 


162 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


MOVING  DAY 

The  family  are  moving. 

Ikwa  has  found  a place  where  there  are  more 
fish  in  the  streams  and  more  birds  on  the 
rocks. 

So  the  family  are  going  to  that  place. 

They  have  all  their  goods  in  the  oomiak. 

The  oomiak  is  a flat  boat. 

When  they  can  go  by  water  they  always  move 
in  the  oomiak. 

Now  the  boat  is  quite  full  with  the  goods, 
the  dogs,  and  the  family. 

There  is  the  tupec  with  the  long  poles. 

There  are  the  tools,  harnesses,  and  sledges. 

There  are  arrows  and  spears  and  bird  nets 
and  fish  nets. 

There  is  the  stone  lamp  and  the  water  pan, 
and  the  pot  in  which  Mane  cooks. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


163 


‘ ‘ Moving  day  ” 

Th  ere  are  the  bearskins  and 
deerskins  and  sealskins 
which  will  be  much  needed  next  winter. 

Last  of  all,  there  are  the  dogs  and  the  chil- 
dren, and  Mane  herself. 

Oh,  it’s  no  easy  task  rowing  the  heavy  old 
oomiak  with  the  big  load  it  carries. 

Mane  is  having  hard  work  of  it. 

Ikwa  and  Kyo  and  Magda  are  ahead  in  their 
kayaks,  getting  birds  and  fish  for  the 
family  dinner. 


164 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


So  Mane  must  attend  to  this  moving  alone. 

Baby,  Nipsu,  and  Agoonack  are  enjoying  the 
day,  but  their  mother  is  very  tired. 

She  will  be  glad  when  they  are  again  on  land, 
and  settled  in  the  new  place  Ikwa  has 
found  for  them. 

I should  think  she  would  be;  shouldn’t  you? 


THE  OOMIAKSOAK  OF  THE 
WHITE  MAN 

( This  story  will  be  ?nost  effective  if  read  to  the  childrefi  by  the  teacher.) 

Oh,  what  do  you  think?  Oh,  what  do  you 
think  ? 

A great  ship  has  come  to  the  Northland. 
The  Eskimos  call  it  an  oomiaksoak. 

It  is  not  like  the  oomiaks  of  Innuits. 

It  is  the  oomiak  of  the  white  man. 

Eskimos  call  the  white  man  a Kabloonah. 


1 66 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


There  are  many  Kabloonahs  with  the  great 
oomiaksoak. 

The  Kabloonahs  call  their  oomiaksoak  a ship. 

The  I miu its  go  out  to  the  Kabloonahs’  ship. 

They  climb  over  its  sides. 

The  Kabloonahs  are  glad  to  see  the  Innuits. 

The  Innuits  have  brought  many  skins. 

They  have  deerskins  and  bearskins  and  fox- 
skins  and  sealskins. 

The  Kabloonahs  take  all  the  skins  the  Innuits 
have  brought  with  them,  and  give  in  return 
strange,  strange  things. 

The  Innuits  look  at  these  things. 

They  turn  them  over  and  over. 

They  ask  the  Kabloonahs  many  questions 
about  them. 

At  last  the  Innuits  go  away,  taking  the  things 
they  have  gotten  in  return  for  the  skins. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


167 


They  paddle  to  shore  as  fast  as  they  can. 

All  the  mothers  and  children,  the  grand- 
fathers and  grandmothers,  everybody  who 
did  not  go  out  to  the  white  man’s  ship,  is 
waiting  for  them  there. 

Mane  with  the  baby,  Agoonack  and  Nipsu, 
Kyo  and  Magda,  are  all  waiting  for  Ikwa. 

They  press  about  him  to  hear  and  see  all 
they  can. 

Ikwa  shows,  one  by  one,  the  things  he  has 
gotten. 

H ere  is  a knife,  a wonderful  knife,  two  knives 
in  one  knife. 

It  shines.  It  is  sharp. 

Oh,  how  Mane  could  cut  skins  with  this 
knife! 

She  holds  it  in  her  hands. 

She  turns  it  over  and  over. 


i68 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


She  feels  of  its  sharp,  sharp  edge. 

She  asks  Ikwa  how  old  was  the  Kabloonah 
who  gave  him  this  knife. 

Ah,  he  must  have  lived  many,  many  suns  to 
have  had  time  to  make  such  a knife. 

Then  Ikwa  tells  Mane  that  the  Kabloonahs 
build  big  igloos  in  their  country. 

Kabloonahs  work  together  in  the  big  igloos. 

They  make  many  such  knives  in  one  day. 

At  this  Mane  shakes  her  head  and  says, 
“Nahme!  Nahme!” 

She  means  “No!  No!” 

Ikwa  is  telling  her  a great  story. 

But  Ikwa  says  it  is  so,  for  the  Kabloonah 
told  him,  and  the  Kabloonah  knows. 

Mane  says  no  more,  but  it  is  hard  to  believe. 

Next  Ikwa  shows  some  little  shining  things. 

They  are  small  and  slippery. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


169 


Mane  keeps  dropping  them  on  the  ground. 

But  they  are  not  lost. 

The  children  look  out  for  that. 

What  can  they  be? 

Each  has  a sharp  point  at  one  end  and  a wee 
hole  at  the  other. 

Mane  wonders  and  wonders. 

Then  Ikwa  tells  her. 

They  are  needles. 

Oh!  oh!  oh!  Mane  has  worked  for  years  to 
make  but  one  needle,  and  here  are  many. 

They  are  hers. 

She  will  sew  with  them. 

Oh  ! oh  ! oh  ! 

And  so  it  goes,  until  Ikwa  has  shown  all  the 
things  the  Kabloonahs  have  given  him. 

At  last  everybody  has  seen  everything  that 
has  come  from  the  ship. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Then  the  women  and  children  begin  to  beg. 

They  beg  to  be  taken  out  to  see  the  Kabloo- 
nahs  and  their  great  oomiaksoak. 

Ikwa  tells  Mane  that  the  Kabloonahs  do  not 
want  the  koonahs  and  mickininies  to  come 
out  to  their  oomiaksoak. 

Mane  says  they  must  go  anyhow. 

I don’t  know  whether  they  will  get  there,  but 
I am  sure  the  Kabloonahs  will  all  come 
on  shore  to  see  them. 


One  of  the  Kabloonahs'  boats 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 7i 

WINTER  IS  COMING  AGAIN 

The  summer  is  nearly  over. 

Winter  is  coming. 

The  sun  is  traveling  southward. 

The  birds  will  fly  away  to  the  Southland. 

The  fishes  will  hide  in  caves,  far  below  the 
ice. 

The  wolves  and  foxes  will  seek  shelter  among 
the  rocks. 

Even  the  great  white  bear  will  make  for  him- 
self a cave  in  the  snow,  where  he  may 
keep  from  freezing. 

The  noisy  streams  and  running  brooks  will 
be  silent  in  their  icy  beds. 

The  land  will  be  in  darkness. 

Cold  winds  will  shriek  and  wail  about  it. 

Whirling  snows  will  drift  upon  it. 

Ice  will  be  everywhere. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


The  great  ocean  itself  will  lie  ice-locked  to 
the  shore. 

Oh,  how  cold  and  dreary  it  will  be! 

Then,  in  all  the  Northland,  there  will  be  only 
the  little  stone  lamp  with  its  tiny  blaze  to 
give  out  light  and  heat  until  the  great  sun 
comes  round  again. 


GATHERING  MOSS 

Nipsu  and  Agoonack  have  been  gathering 
moss  for  the  stone  lamp. 

They  have  a great  bagful  here  on  the  ground, 
and  there  is  much  more  in  the  tent. 

The  winter  is  long. 

It  is  cold  and  dark. 

It  takes  a great  deal  of  moss  to  keep  the  lamp 
burning  from  sun  to  sun. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


03 


“ They  roll  the  moss  into  strings  for  wicking" 

So  each  day  the  children  go  out  and  come 
home  with  their  bag  full. 

It  is  pleasant  work  gathering  the  soft  moss. 

They  roll  the  moss  into  strings  for  wicking. 

These  strings  are  curled  around  in  the  lamp, 
and  soaked  with  oik 

They  know  what  a cheery  blaze  it  will  make 
through  the  cold,  dark  days  to  come. 

They  are  very  happy  in  their  work. 


174 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


GOOD-BY ! 

Good-by,  Nipsu!  Good-by,  Agoonack! 

We  shall  often  think  of  our  visit  to  your 
home. 

At  first  we  did  not  like  it  here. 

We  thought  your  country  dreary,  and  your 
people  strange. 

We  like  it  better  now.  and  hope  to  come 
again. 

Won’t  you  visit  us  sometime? 

We  should  like  very  much  to  have  you. 

But  we  must  be  going. 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


05 


We  cannot  stay,  nor  longer  roam, 


Good-by!  good-by!  we  journey  home. 


A PRONOUNCING  INDEX 


The  following  difficult  words  found  in  “ Eskimo  Stories  ” are 
spelled  phonetically,  as  an  aid  in  pronunciation : 


Agoonack  {ag'  goo  nak ) 
ahtee  {ah'  tee) 
antlers  {ant'  lerz) 
awick  ( a wik') 

chisel  {chiz'  el) 
crevices  ( krev ' is  ez) 
cylinder  {sil'  in  der) 

dovekie  {dim'  ke) 

eider  ( i ' der) 
entrail  {en'  trale) 

Eskimo  {es'  ki  mo) 

igloo  {ig'  loo) 
ikkimer  {ik'  he  mer) 

Ikwa  {ik'  wall) 
immoosi  {ini'  moo  se) 
Innuits  {in'  new  its) 

Kabloonah  {kab  loo'  nah ) 
kamiks  {kam'  iks) 
kamutee  {kam'  mew  te) 
kayaks  {kay'  aks) 

Kyo  {ki ' o) 


lichen  {li'  ken) 

Magda  {mag'  dah) 

Mane  {ma'  ne) 
mickininy  {mik'  ki  ni'  ny) 
mikies  {mik'  iz) 

nahme  peeuk  {nah'  me  pee'  uk) 
netcheh  {net'  che) 

Nipsu  {nip'  su) 
noo'-gloo-took 

olo  {o'  lo) 

oomiak  {oo'  me  ak) 
oomiaksoak  {oo'  me  ak'  so  ak) 
oom'-ing-muk 

sinews  {sin'  ews) 
sledges  {slej'  ez) 

Toolooah  {tod  loo  ah) 
tough  {tuf) 
tupecs  {too’  peks) 

weapons  {wep'  onz) 


> 


[176] 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


* 77 


^4  picture  of  Olof  Krarer 


THE  STORY  OF  A REAL  ESKIMO 

( This  story  should  be  read  to  the  children  before  they  begin  reading  the  booh.) 

I WAS  born  on  the  east  coast  of  Greenland,  the  least  known 
to  civilization,  about  one  thousand  miles  north  and  a little 
west  of  Iceland.  I am  the  youngest  of  eight  children.  As 
nearly  as  I can  remember,  my  father’s  house  was  on  a low  plain 
near  the  seashore.  It  sloped  gently  inland,  and  we  could  have 
seen  a great  way  into  the  back  country  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
great  snowdrifts  and  masses  of  ice.  When  we  looked  off  toward 
the  ocean,  we  could  not  see  very  far,  tor  even  in  the  warmest 


1 78 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


season  there  was  only  a small  space  of  open  water,  and  beyond 
that  the  ice  was  all  piled  up  in  rough,  broken  masses. 

Our  house  was  built  of  snow.  It  was  round,  perhaps  sixteen 
feet  across,  and  came  to  a point  at  the  top.  It  was  lined  with  fur 
on  all  sides,  and  was  carpeted  with  a double  thickness  of  fur. 

The  door  was  a thick  curtain  of  fur  hung  over  the  doorway, 
and  was  fastened  by  heating  the  upper  part  and  letting  the  fur 
freeze  into  the  wall.  Outside  of  the  door  was  a long,  narrow 
passageway,  just  high  enough  for  one  of  us  little  Eskimo  people 
to  stand  up  straight  in.  That  would  be  about  high  enough  for  a 
child  eight  years  old  in  this  country  ; and  it  was  only  wide  enough 
for  one  person  to  go  through  at  a time.  If  one  wanted  to  go  out 
and  another  wanted  to  come  in  at  the  same  time  one  would  have 
to  back  out  of  the  passageway  and  let  the  other  go  first.  This 
passageway  was  not  straight,  but  turned  to  one  side  so  as  not  to 
let  the  wind  blow  in. 

Our  fireplace  was  in  the  center  of  the  house.  The  bottom 
was  a large  flat  stone  with  other  stones  piled  about  the  edge  to 
keep  the  fire  from  getting  into  the  room.  When  we  wanted  to 
build  a fire  we  would  put  some  dried  meat  and  bones  on  the 
stone ; then  a little  dry  moss  was  put  in,  and  then  my  father 
would  take  a flint  and  a whale’s  tooth  and  strike  fire  upon  the 
moss.  Sometimes  it  took  a long  time  to  make  it  burn.  After  the 
fire  started  he  would  put  some  blubber  upon  it. 

Although  it  was  so  very  cold,  we  would  often  be  without  a 
fire,  for  what  we  made  the  fire  of  was  what  we  had  to  live  on,  and 
we  could  not  always  afford  to  burn  it.  Our  fire  did  not  warm  the 
room  very  much.  It  was  mostly  to  give  light,  so  that  it  might  be 
a little  more  cheerful  in  the  room.  When  we  had  no  fire  it  was 
very  dark. 

My  people  live  on  seals,  whales,  walrus,  and  polar  bears.  Our 
food  is  eaten  raw  and  frozen.  We  have  only  the  salt  ocean  water, 
and  if  we  had  soft,  fresh  water  we  would  not  dare  to  use  it,  for  it 
would  be  like  poison  to  our  flesh  with  the  thermometer  8o°  or  90° 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


179 


below  zero.  So,  when  we  eat,  we  take  a piece  of  raw  meat  in  one 
hand  and  a chunk  of  blubber  in  the  other,  and  take  a bite  of  each 
until  it  is  eaten.  Then  we  carefully  rub  the  grease  and  fat  all  over 
our  hands  and  face,  and  feel  fine  afterwards.  My  people  have  long 
hair,  made  dark  by  the  smoke  and  grease. 

There  was  no  chance  to  play  and  romp  inside  the  snow-house. 
We  just  had  to  sit  still  with  our  arms  folded.  It  was  in  this  way 
that  my  arms  came  to  have  such  a different  shape  from  people’s 
arms  in  this  country.  Where  their  muscle  is  large  and  strong, 
I have  but  very  little ; and  instead  of  that,  I have  a large  bunch 
of  muscle  on  the  upper  side  of  my  arms,  and  they  are  crooked 
so  that  I can  never  straighten  them. 

Sometimes  we  used  to  get  very  tired  in  the  dark  snow-house 
and  then  we  would  try  a little  amusement.  Two  of  us  would  sit 
down  on  the  fur  carpet,  and  looking  into  each  others’  faces,  guess 
who  was  the  best  looking.  We  had  to  guess  at  it,  for  we  had  no 
looking-glass  in  which  to  see  our  faces. 

The  one  whose  face  shone  the  most  with  the  grease  was  called 
the  prettiest.  If  at  any  time  we  grew  tired  of  it  all,  and  ventured 
to  jump  about  and  to  play,  we  were  in  danger  of  being  punished. 
When  a child  was  naughty,  mother  would  place  a bone  on  the  fire, 
leaving  it  there  until  it  was  hot  enough  for  the  grease  to  boil  out. 
Then  she  would  slap  it  on  the  child.  She  was  not  particular  where 
she  burned  her  child,  except  that  she  was  careful  not  to  touch  the 
face. 

I can  well  remember  what  my  last  punishment  was  for.  I 
had  been  playing  with  my  little  brother  inside  the  snow-house, 
and  getting  very  angry  at  him,  threw  him  down  and  bit  him  on  the 
back  of  the  neck ; then  my  mother  burned  me  on  the  same  spot 
where  I bit  him.  I did  not  bite  him  any  more  after  that. 

But  it  was  not  always  so  that  we  had  to  stay  in  the  snow-house. 
Once  in  a while  father  would  come  in  and  say  it  was  not  so  cold  as 
usual,  and  then  we  would  have  a chance  to  look  around  outside 
the  snow-house.  We  never  took  long  walks.  There  were  some 


i8o 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


steep,  jagged  rocks  in  sight  of  our  village,  and  during  the  long 
daytime  enough  of  the  snow  would  melt  off  to  leave  the  rocks 
bare  in  a few  places.  On  these  bare  spots  we  would  find  a kind 
of  brown  moss,  which  we  gathered  and  dried  to  light  our  fires 
with. 

The  great  event  in  our  family  life  was  the  dog-sleigh  ride. 
When  father  told  us  we  could  go  we  came  as  near  dancing  and 
clapping  our  hands  for  joy  as  Eskimo  children  ever  do.  But  we 
did  not  have  a fine  cutter  with  large  horses  and  shining  bells. 
Sometimes  the  sled  would  be  made  of  a wide  piece  of  bone  from 
the  jaws  of  a whale,  one  end  of  which  turned  up  like  a runner. 
But  more  frequently  it  would  be  either  a skin  of  some  animal 
laid  flat  on  the  ground,  or  a great  frozen  fish  cut  open  at  the 
back  and  turned  right  over.  I never  saw  such  a fish  in  this 
country  or  in  Iceland,  so  I cannot  tell  what  kind  of  fish  it  was. 
Our  sled  was  drawn  by  dogs  of  about  the  size  of  shepherd  dogs. 
They  have  short,  straight  ears,  and  their  noses  are  sharp  and 
pointed.  They  are  very  strong  and  have  heavy  coats  of  long 
hair,  which  often  drag  upon  the  snow.  They  are  usually  of  a 
dark  gray  color.  Our  dogs  were  very  useful  to  us  in  other  ways 
than  drawing  our  sleighs,  for  they  were  very  good  to  hunt.  They 
helped  to  kill  the  polar  bear,  and  to  find  the  seal  and  walrus. 

Now,  in  order  that  you  may  understand  our  way  of  living 
better,  I will  explain  that  we  have  six  months  night  in  Greenland, 
and  during  that  time  nothing  is  seen  of  the  sun.  Then  most  of 
the  time  the  beautiful  northern  lights  may  be  seen  dancing  and 
leaping  about.  The  white  snow  is  always  on  the  ground,  so  that 
even  when  the  moon  and  northern  lights  were  not  seen,  we  could 
see  to  hunt  around.  Before  and  after  the  night-time  there  was 
about  a month  of  twilight  and  this  was  the  finest  time  of  the  year. 
We  had  then  the  best  chance  to  hunt. 

In  the  long  day  we -had  the  hardest  time,  for  then  the  sun 
shone  out  so  brightly  that  we  would  be  made  snow-blind  if  we 
ventured  far  from  home.  The  day  was  four  months  long,  and  if 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


1 8 1 


we  did  not  have  food  enough  stored  away  in  an  ice  cave  to  last 
us  through,  we  would  be  in  great  danger  of  starving. 

The  best  time  to  hunt  is  when  the  ice  breaks  up.  My  people 
know  when  this  is  going  to  happen  by  the  noise.  There  is  a 
rumbling  sound  like  distant  thunder.  Then  the  hunters  get  their 
spears,  which  are  walrus  tusks,  and  let  out  their  dogs,  and  hurry 
to  the  place  where  the  sound  is  heard.  The  polar  bear  hears  the 
sound  also,  and  hastens  to  the  place,  for  it  is  there  that  he,  too, 
must  make  a living. 

This  is  the  only  time  that  Eskimos  ever  dare  attack  a polar 
bear,  for  when  he  is  going  about  alone  and  hungry  he  is  very 
fierce  and  dangerous ; but  when  the  ice  breaks  up  the  bear 
goes  straight  for  the  sound.  This  grows  louder  and  louder  until 
there  is  a mighty  crash  louder  than  thunder,  and  great  walls  of 
ice  are  thrown  high  in  air,  and  a space  of  open  water  is  to  be  seen. 
When  the  commotion  ceases,  my  people  crowd  along  the  edge  of 
the  water. 

The  bear  is  down  on  the  ice  watching  for  seals  and  walrus. 
The  Eskimos  gather  around  him  in  their  dog-sledges,  perhaps 
twenty  or  thirty  of  them ; there  are  about  two  in  every  sleigh, 
every  one  with  a spear  in  his  hand. 

The  loose  dogs  run  up  to  him  and  begin  to  worry  him.  If  he 
makes  a rush  at  the  hunters  in  their  sleighs  the  dog  teams  draw 
them  swiftly  away.  The  loose  dogs  keep  on  worrying  the  bear 
until  he  is  furious  with  rage.  Every  little  while  a sweep  of  his 
big  paw  lays  one  of  his  enemies  on  the  snow.  The  dogs  crowd 
in  and  take  hold  wherever  they  can,  until  at  last,  after  repeated 
struggles,  he  lies  panting  on  the  snow.  Then  the  hunters  try  to 
kill  him  with  their  walrus  tusks.  No  sooner  are  they  sure  that 
he  is  dying  than  they  hasten  to  get  a drink  of  warm  blood.  A 
long  cut  is  made  down  the  animal.  The  skin  is  pulled  and  pushed 
off  with  their  hands.  All  hands  feast  upon  the  warm  grease  that 
is  inside  the  animal,  and  after  that  they  divide  the  meat  and  take 
it  home. 


182 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


Sometimes  my  father  would  tell  us  stories  about  his  parents 
and  grandparents,  how  long,  long  ago  the  first  people  came  from 
Norway.  But  no  one  knew  what  Norway  was  like.  Some  said  it 
was  a great  house  somewhere ; others  said  it  was  the  moon,  and 
some  said  it  was  where  the  Good  Spirit  lived. 

The  only  relatives  we  knew  about  were  father,  mother,  broth- 
ers and  sisters,  and  grandparents.  We  knew  nothing  about 
uncles,  aunts,  and  cousins.  We  lived  in  small  hamlets  of  perhaps 
thirty  or  forty  families. 

We  had  only  one  name  each,  just  as  you  name  animals  in  this 
country.  My  father’s  name  was  Krauker,  my  name  was  Oluar. 
On  arriving  in  Iceland  I was  baptized  Olof  Krarer. 

One  thing  had  a great  deal  of  interest  for  us  all.  When  the 
sun  shone  out  at  the  beginning  of  the  daytime,  it  marked  the 
first  of  the  year,  as  New  Year’s  day  marks  the  beginning  of  the 
year  in  this  country.  Then  our  parents  would  take  out  the  sacks, 
each  one  of  the  family  having  one  of  their  own.  In  each  sack  was 
a piece  of  bone  for  every  first  time  that  person  had  seen  the  sun. 
When  ten  bones  were  gathered,  they  would  tie  them  into  a bundle, 
for  they  had  not  words  to  count  more  than  ten.  In  such  a land 
was  I born,  in  such  a home  was  I brought  up.  In  such  pleasures 
I rejoiced  until  there  were  about  fifteen  bones  in  my  sack. 

Then  something  happened  which  changed  my  whole  life. 
Six  tall  men  came  to  our  village.  They  proved  to  be  Iceland 
whalers  who  had  been  shipwrecked  in  a storm  and  who  finally 
reached  Greenland.  When  they  returned  to  Iceland  my  father’s 
family  went  with  them. 

If  I was  to  go  back  to  my  race  of  people  I would  not  be  able 
to  tell  them  about  what  I see  and  hear  in  this  country.  They  have 
not  the  language  to  express  the  thought.  They  never  saw  a 
painting  or  a piano.  Their  wild  ride  songs  are  all  they  have  that 
is  anything  like  music.  They  have  no  church,  no  school,  no  doc- 
tor, lawyer,  or  merchant;  no  money,  jewelry,  or  timepiece;  not  an 
axe,  spade,  or  hammer;  no  knife,  fork,  or  spoon;  no  bread,  no  cloth, 


ESKIMO  STORIES 


183 


no  wood ! I never  saw  as  much  wood  in  my  part  of  the  country 
as  would  make  one  little  match.  For  a needle  we  use  the  tooth 
of  a fish  ; for  thread,  the  sinews  of  a reindeer. 

Eskimos  have  no  idea  of  a book.  They  eat  when  they  are 
hungry  and  sleep  when  they  are  sleepy.  They  think,  in  their 
ignorance,  they  are  the  only  people,  and  are  consequently  con- 
tented and  happy. 

June  16, 1902. 


Olof  Krarer. 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS 


THIS  little  book  has  not  been  written  to  make  a “ reading 
book,”  in  the  accepted  meaning  of  the  phrase ; yet  it  is 
hoped  that  the  vocabulary  and  arrangement  are  such  that 
it  will  be  possible  for  children  who  have  mastered  the  vocabulary 
of  the  average  first  readers  to  read  “ Eskimo  Stories”  with  interest. 

LANGUAGE  WORK 

In  certain  lessons  it  will  be  well  for  the  teacher  to  select  the 
new  or  difficult  words,  write  them  upon  the  blackboard,  and  either 
develop  them  or  have  the  children  work  them  out  phonetically. 
After  this,  allow  them  to  take  the  book  and  read  the  story  to  them- 
selves before  reading  it  aloud.  Give  them  time  to  do  this  thor- 
oughly; until  they  can  close  their  books  and  tell  in  their  own 
words  the  whole  or  connected  portions  of  the  story. 

VISUALIZATION 

A valuable  test  in  visualization  is  to  ask  each  child  what  he 
saw  while  reading  the  lesson. 

PANTOMIME 

Children  may  read  the  story,  and  then  different  ones  may  act 
some  portions  while  others  interpret  the  parts  enacted. 

DRAWING 

In  stories  where  there  is  much  action,  children  may  read  and 
then  go  to  the  blackboard  and  picture  different  portions. 

These  exercises  take  time  and  patience,  and  the  teacher  may 
find  they  do  not  immediately  result  in  as  glib  a repetition  of  words 
as  the  same  time  spent  in  word  drill,  but,  if  continued,  they  will 
result  in  an  independence,  a power  to  get  and  to  express,  that  mere 
oral  reading  will  never  develop. 

[184] 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS 


185 


Only  when  the  printed  word  becomes  transparent,  when  the 
child  sees  through  it  the  thing  it  symbolizes,  can  he  be  said  to  read, 
and  these  tests  make  it  impossible  to  hide  mental  blankness  behind 
borrowed  expression. 

ILLUSTRATIVE  WORK 

The  benefit  to  the  child  of  allowing  him  to  express  in  illustra- 
tive work  the  pictures  he  gets  from  the  printed  page,  has  been  too 
well  proven  to  need  any  defense  here. 

Clay,  paper,  chalk,  charcoal,  and  water  colors  — though  the 
last  is  not  so  available — are  used  with  success  by  many  teachers. 

All  illustrative  work  should  be  done  large.  Fine  work  in 
detail  should  not  be  encouraged.  Specialists  tell  us  that  fine  detail 
work  is  most  detrimental  to  the  development  of  young  children, 
even  those  in  normal  condition.  To  insist  on  this  work  from  those 
already  deficient  in  eyesight  or  nerve  force  is  criminal.  With  all 
children  the  first  illustrative  work  is  crude,  and  with  many  it  con- 
tinues to  be  unintelligible  to  the  uninterested.  But  poor  results 
are  often  the  index  of  mental  or  physical  deficiencies,  which 
patience  and  perseverance  may  partially  obviate,  if  not  overcome. 
The  conscientious  teacher  will  rejoice  over  interest  and  effort 
rather  than  over  definite  attainments. 

CLAY 

The  children  will  be  delighted  to  reproduce  in  clay  the  houses 
and  people,  the  seals,  the  walrus,  and  other  animals.  In  winter, 
snow  houses  may  be  built  on  the  playground. 

PAPER  CUTTING 

The  animals,  the  people,  the  houses,  and  those  portions  of  the 
stories  in  which  there  is  much  action,  may  be  illustrated  in  paper 
cutting.  Many  teachers  have  found  that  by  continued  suggestion 
and  encouragement  little  fingers  become  expert  at  tearing  where 
scissors  do  not  seem  advisable.  Where  paper  is  not  furnished. 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS 


1 86 


wrapping  paper,  even  newspapers,  may  be  used,  though  the  latter 
is  a poor  substitute,  the  print  and  pictures  preventing  concentra- 
tion on  the  outline.  Paper  cutting  should  be  both  from  pictures 
and  from  memory. 

BLACKBOARD  DRAWING 

The  blackboard  seems  particularly  suited  to  the  child’s  needs 
for  free  movement  and  large  work  in  illustration.  The  crayon 
should  be  used  sideways,  not  on  the  point,  so  as  to  get  the  broad, 
soft  stroke  rather  than  the  sharp  outline.  The  lower  part  of  the 
board  may  be  kept  spaced  and  numbered  for  daily  use.  The 
spaces  should  be,  if  possible,  as  much  as  two  feet  wide.  It  has 
been  observed  that  the  larger  the  spaces  the  better  the  pictures. 
Spacing  and  numbering  may  be  done  with  wet  chalk,  which  does 
not  erase  easily,  or  with  a mixture  of  chalk  and  Le  Page’s  glue. 

CHARCOAL  AND  WHITE  CRAYON  ON  PAPER 

Charcoal  and  blackboard  crayon,  used  with  the  manila  or  gray 
paper,  are  particularly  effective  in  working  out  snow  scenes.  The 
white  chalk  works  on  paper  better  if  baked  before  using.  The 
drawing,  in  order  to  most  develop  the  child’s  individuality  and 
make  him  independent,  should  not  usually  be  copied.  The  pictures 
in  the  book  may  be  used  suggestively  and  sometimes  for  repro- 
duction. Attempts  to  reproduce  pictures  will  be  most  beneficial 
to  the  child  if  done  by  means  of  visualization. 

The  teacher  may  ask  the  children  to  observe  a picture  care- 
fully, then  to  close  the  books  and  draw  what  they  have  seen.  If 
any  child  is  unable  to  make  the  main  objects  in  the  picture,  or  if 
his  picture  does  not  suggest  the  thought  which  the  picture  in  the 
book  does,  have  him  look  at  the  picture  again  and  again.  Very 
simple  pictures  should  be  used  for  this  exercise  so  that  the  child 
may  not  be  discouraged  by  the  great  difference  between  his  own 
picture  and  that  in  the  book,  or  obtain  a low  standard  of  approxi- 
mate attainment  by  attempting  tasks  too  far  beyond  his  ability. 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS 


1 ^7 


If  any  teacher  feels  that  she  cannot  undertake  the  constant 
battle  for  tidiness  which  the  use  of  these  materials  by  little  people 
necessitates,  she  should  remember  that  many  others  who  once 
experienced  the  same  fears  have  long  since  rejoiced  at  the  reward 
which  followed  persistent,  courageous  trial. 

SPECIAL  SUGGESTIONS 

Although  the  teacher’s  knowledge  of  the  needs  of  her  pupils 
can  be  the  only  guide  to  the  work  which  is  most  profitable,  the 
following  special  directions  may  be  helpful  to  those  who  have  not 
done  this  work  in  connection  with  the  reading  lessons : 

Page  ii.  Let  the  children  picture  on  the  blackboard  their 
conception  of  a dreary  land  of  ice  and  snow. 

Page  ij.  Allow  them  to  study  the  picture  and  try  to  repro- 
duce it  on  the  board  from  visualization. 

Pages  14.-13-16.  The  people  mentioned  may  be  modeled  in 
clay  and  drawn.  The  teacher  must  explain  that  sea  water  is  salt, 
that  stream  water  is  fresh,  and  that  people  cannot  drink  salt  water. 

Pages  17-18.  The  reindeer  may  be  cut  from  paper  and  drawn. 

Page  19.  Model  the  house  in  clay ; cut  or  tear  it  from  paper 
or  draw  it  on  the  board.  If  the  lesson  is  used  in  the  winter,  build 
the  snow  house  in  play  time. 

Page  21.  The  walrus  may  be  modeled  in  clay  and  drawn. 

Page  23.  Allow  the  children  to  express  their  conception  of 
northern  lights  in  colored  crayons. 

Page  23.  Draw  the  wolves  and  cut  them  from  paper. 

Page  26.  The  bowl  of  the  stove  may  be  modeled  in  clay. 

Page  27.  Draw  the  dogs  and  cut  them  from  paper. 

Page  29.  This  is  a fine  picture  to  observe  and  then  describe 
with  the  book  closed. 

Page  30.  This  is  a good  picture  to  reproduce  on  the  board 
from  visualization.  Allow  the  children  to  picture  on  the  board  or 
with  charcoal,  as  they  like,  the  story  of  the  runaway  dogs. 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS 


1 88 


Page  jj.  Let  some  child  show  how  the  Eskimo  boys  double 
up  before  starting  to  roll  down  hill. 

Page  jj.  Seals  may  be  modeled  in  clay,  drawn,  and  cut  from 
paper.  The  children  will  like  to  draw  on  the  blackboard  a little 
cave  for  baby  seals  under  the  snow. 

Page  jj.  Icebergs  make  a fine  blackboard  drawing.  It  might 
be  well  for  the  teacher  to  read  the  latter  part  of  the  lesson  to  the 
children  and  make  a few  soft  strokes  on  the  board  suggestive  of 
pillars  and  arched  doorways,  even  if  she  cannot  suggest  a palace. 

Have  language  work  on  this  lesson  to  see  if  the  children  are 
really  picturing  icebergs  white  as  marble,  or  shining  with  the 
colors  of  the  rainbow,  or  blue  and  cold.  If  the  children  are  really 
“ seeing  things  ” they  will  tell  them. 

Page  jg.  Cut  the  bear  from  paper  and  model  in  clay. 

Page  55.  Read  the  verse  at  the  bottom  of  page  to  the  chil- 
dren. Have  them  describe  the  picture  they  see. 

Page  j6.  Let  the  children  picture  on  the  board,  or  with  char- 
coal, Ikwa  at  work  on  the  lamp. 

Page  j 8.  This  picture  is  a good  subject  to  reproduce  from 
visualization. 

Pages  61-62-6J.  This  is  a good  lesson  to  illustrate  with  chalk 
or  charcoal. 

Pages  jj-j6.  The  teacher  should  illustrate  the  turning  of  the 
drill  with  a little  bow  made  of  string  and  a stick  or  a whalebone, 
using  a pencil  for  a drill.  Some  child  will  be  delighted  to  make 
the  bow.  Two  children  can  pull  it  back  and  forth  while  the 
teacher  steadies  the  turning  pencil. 

It  would  be  well  also  to  illustrate  the  principle  of  the  wheel 
and  belt.  Two  spools  on  sticks,  held  by  the  children  and  turned 
by  a piece  of  tape  for  a belt,  will  make  the  reference  clear. 

Page  100.  The  repetition  in  Ikwa’s  bear  story  is  somewhat 
peculiar,  but  characteristic  of  the  Eskimos.  The  words  “ Innuits,’ 
meaning  Eskimos,  and  “ mickininies,”  meaning  children,  should  be 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  TEACHERS 


189 


explained.  In  order  that  the  children  may  get  a series  of  pictures 
from  this  lesson,  the  teacher  should  read  the  story  aloud  two  01 
three  times  and  then  ask  the  children  to  tell  what  they  saw  while 
she  read.  If  they  have  gotten  several  pictures  in  succession,  they 
are  ready  to  read  the  story  themselves,  first  silently,  then  to  the 
others.  Explain  to  the  children  the  custom  among  the  Eskimos 
of  dividing  equally  the  animal’s  flesh,  and  of  giving  his  skin  to 
the  one  who  first  saw  him. 

Page  10 5.  The  teacher  must  explain  that  “Nahme  peeuk  ” 
means  “ no  good,”  and  that  the  Eskimos  say  that  when  they  think 
a thing  is  not  good,  or  when  some  one  does  wrong. 

Page  106.  The  teacher  should  endeavor  to  illustrate  this  les- 
son. Draw  a cylinder  with  holes  in  it  suspended  by  a string. 
Draw  also  a sharp-pointed  spear.  Question  the  children  to  see  if 
they  understand  the  game. 

Page  108.  Different  portions  of  this  story  are  very  suggestive 
for  illustration,  such  as  the  snow  house  on  the  ice,  the  floating 
blocks  on  the  sea,  the  boys  jumping  from  block  to  block. 

Page  iiej..  This  is  an  excellent -lesson  for  the  children  to  illus- 
trate by  paper  cutting  and  drawing. 

Pages  114.-115.  The  teacher  should  explain  the  meaning  and 
the  legend  of  the  “star  bears.”  (See  Judd’s  “Classic  Myths,” 
page  45.) 

Page  129.  Tents  may  be  folded  in  paper. 

Page  ijj.  These  verses  should  be  read  to  the  children  before 
they  are  asked  to  read  them.  The  teacher  should  tell  the  children 
how  the  flowers  spring  up  by  thousands  in  places  where  the  snow 
has  melted.  It  will  be  well  to  ask  them  if  they  can  see  little  blue 
and  pink  and  yellow  and  white  flowers  nodding  in  the  sun  while 
she  reads  the  verses. 

Page  ijo.  The  teacher  should  explain  to  children  that  “ koo- 
nah  ” means  wife. 


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